?:wwrw^^'^^^^ 


^^i:?^^'-" 


i"} 


'  »<•;:-  ■ 


sec 


-THS 


POSTHUMOUS  WORKS 


OP   THK    RIVERKND    AND    PIOUS 


JAMES    M'GREADY, 


lalTb 


MINISTER  OF  THE  GOSPEL  IN  HENDERSON,  KY. 


''By  it.  ht,  being  dead,  yet  spiak$thj'^ 


IGDITEB  BT   THE  REVEREND  JTAItlES  SlVITIft 


TWO   VOLUMES   IN  ONE. 


j^un^i^illtt  Zen* 

PRINTED   AND   FUBLISHED   AT   J.    SMITH's   STEAM  PBESS. 
1837* 


District  of  West  Tennessee^  to-wii : 

Bb  IT  KKMKMBBRtD,  That  on  th6  13th  day  of  February,  in  the  fifty  seventh  year  of 
the  Inlefetirtftiiceor  the  United  Sfatpn  of  America,  and  in  "lie  year  of  onr  Lord  one  thoueniid 
ei'iht  liurdrrd  and  thirty-three,  JAMES  SMITH,  of  said  district,  deiiosited  in  thit  office,  tlie 
title  nt"a  i5oo|{,  the  right  whereof  he  claims  as  Editor  and  Proprietor,  in  the  words  following, 
lo-wi^; 

'•Tie  posthntnous  works  of  the  reverend  and  pious  James  McGready,  late  miniiter  of  the 
eospei.  in  Henderson,  Kentucky.  Edited  by  tiie  Reverend  James  Smith.  'By  it,  he,  being 
dead,  yet  speuketh.'     Two  volumes  in  one." 

In  'oniormity  to  an  act  of  Congress  of  the  United  Statps,  entitled  '-An  act  for  the  encour- 
agempat  of  learning,  hy  securing  the  copies  of  maps,  charts  and  Looks,  to  the  anthors  and 
propri.-to-s  of  such  copies,  during  the  times  therein  mentioned,"  and  also,  to  an  "Act,  entitled 
an  aci  supplementary  loan  act  entitled  an  net  \^^r  the  encoiiriit'cn  ent  of  learning,  hy  securing 
the  coi<ies  of  maps,  charts  and  books  tt>  the  nuthnra  and  proprietors  of  »uch  C('pie.«,  during 
the  times  therein  mentioned,  and  extending  tbe  benefit  thereof  to  the  arts  of  designing,  en- 
graving a'ld  etching  historical  and  other  prin.r" 

[L.  s.]  N.  A.  McNAIRY,  Clerks 


I^BEFACK. 


It  happens,  too  frequently,  that  the  benefit  of  this  intellectual 
labors  of  great  and  good  men  is  almost  lost  to  the  world,  either 
from  too  great  diffidence  of  the  individuals  themselves  or  from 
the  carelessness  of  those  into  -vrhose  hands  their  productions  fall 
after  their  decease.  And  such  had  nearly  been  the  fate  of  the 
discourses  comprising  this  volume,  with  many  others  of  equal 
value  by  the  same  author.  The  Editor,  therefore,  trusts  that  he 
renders  good  service  to  the  great  cause  in  which  their  author 
labored,  by  rescuing  from  oblivion  a  part  of  the  sermons  of  the 
venerated  M'Gready;  and,  he  confidently  hopes,  that  this  belief 
will  be  fully  sanctioned  by  the  Christian  community. 

To  a  large  number  of  persons,  now  resident  in  the  valley  of 
the  Mississippi,  where  the  author  principally  labored  in  ths  min- 
istry, it  is  expected  that  these  sermons  will  be  peculiarly  accep- 
table, inr^smuchas  it  will  be  recollected  by  thousands  now  living, 
that  he  was  one  of  the  most  efficient  instruments,  in  the  ktSiis' 
of  the  great  Head  of  the  churcii,  in  „:I^anr.ing  the  Redeemer's 
kingdom  through  the  vast  western  wilderness.  He  was  an  emi- 
nent revivalist,  and  particularly  identified  in  what  has  been  term- 
ed the  great  revival  of  1 800,  which  began  and  was,  in  a  great 
measure,  c^  rried  on  through  his  instrumentality.  It  is  not  im- 
probable, therefore,  that  many  of  the  followers  of  the  Lord  Je- 
sus Christ  will  recognize  in  one  or  another  of  these  discourses  the 
very  arrow  which  pierced  their  hearts,  and  to  which,  under 
heaven,  they  are  indebted  for  their  salvation. 

Most  of  the  sermons,  in  this  volume  were  preached  by  the  Au- 
thor during  the  revival  mentioned,  although  some  of  them  were 
slightly  altered  by  him,  at  a  subsequent  period,  as  may  be  ob- 
served from  an  allusion  to  natural  events  of  a  later  date  in  that 
one  entitled  *'T/i2  Character^  History  and  End  of  the  FooJ.^^  As 
none  of  them  were  designed  for  publication,  but  simply  for  the 
Author's  own  use,  it  will  be  remarked  that  little  atten'ion  has 
been  paid  by  him  to  the  mere  ornament  of  expression.  Yet  the 
intelligent  Christian  reader  will  readily  perceive  that  all  his  dis- 
courses are  well  calculated  to  convince  the  unregenerate  of  the 
evil  nature  of  sin,  and  the  awful  consequences  of  living  and  dy- 
ing under  its  domxinion;  to  lead  the  heavy  laden  to  the  bl.od  of 
Bpriukling,  and  to  administer  encouragement  and  consolation  to 


JV  WUIFACK. 

the  hearts  of  God's  people,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  being  the  al- 
pha nnd  omega,  the  beginning  and  the  end,  the  soul  and  sub- 
stance of  the  whole. 

Many  of  the  sernaons,  even  to  the  ordinary  reader,  will  seem 
to  close  abruptly,  owing  to  an  omission  of  the  author  in  writing 
out  the  applications— 'that  being  a  part  he  almost  uniformly  de- 
livered extemporaneously,  and  accoiding  to  the  circumstances 
of  his  audience.  This  omission  is  the  more  to  bo  lamented  as 
in  his  applications  he  is  said  to  have  been  particularly  interestmg, 
forcing  the  truth  home  upon  the  consciences  of  his  hearers  with 
almost  irresistible  efficacy.  The  reader  may  infer  something 
of  his  powers  in  this  way,  from  the  sermon  "O/i  the  super  abound- 
ing Grace  of  Gud.^'' 

That  these  sermons  may  prove  edifying  and  encouraging  to 
the  Christian  reader — that  they  may  be  instrumental  in  bringing 
many  souls  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  that,  thereby,  much 
fruit  may  abound  to  the  author  at  the  great  day  of  the  Lord — 
such  are  the  sincere  prayers  of  the  reader's  obedient  servant, 

THE  EDITOR, 


SKETCH  OF  THE  CK4JIACTER 

OF  TH« 

REVEREND  JAMES  M'GRfiADY, 

BY  THE  REV.  JOHN  AWDRETTS. 


From  the  conduct  and  conversation  of  Mr.  M'Gready,  there 
is  abundant  evidence  to  believe  that  he  was  not  only  a  subject 
of  divine  grace  and  unfeigned  piety,  but  that  he  was  favored  with 
great  nearness  to  God  and  intimate  communion  with  him.  Like 
Enoch,  he  walked  with  God;  like  Jacob,  he  wrestled  with  God, 
by  fervent  persevering  supplications,  for  a  blessing  on  himself 
and  others  and  prevailed;  like  Elijah,  he  was  very  jealous  for  the 
Lord  God  of  hosts,  and  regarded  his  glory  and  the  advance- 
ment of  his  kingdom  as  the  great  end  of  his  existence  on  earth, 
to  which  all  other  designs  ought  to  be  subordinate;  like  Job,  he 
deeply  abhorred  himself,  repenting,  as  it  were,  industand  ashes, 
when  he  was  enabled  to  behold  the  purity  of  God  and  his  own 
disconformity  to  his  holy  nature;  like  the  apostle  Paul,  he  coun- 
ted all  things  but  loss  for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Je- 
sus Christ,  his  Lord;  and,  like  him,  he  felt  great  delight  in 
preaching  to  his  fellovs?  men  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ. 
He  was  remarkably  plain  in  his  dress  and  manners;  but  very 
familiar,  communicative,  and  interesting  in  his  conversation. 
He  possessed  sound  understanding,  and  a  moderate  share  of 
human  learning.  The  style  of  his  sermons  was  not  polished, 
but  perspicuous  and  pointed;  and  his  manner  of  address  was  un- 
usually solemn  and  impressive.  Ar.  a  preacher  he  was  highly 
esteemed  by  the  humble  followers  of  the  Lamb,  who  relished 
the  precious  truths  which  he  clearly  exhibited  to  their  vie'«v; 
but  he  was  hated,  and  sometimes  bitterly  reproached  and  perse- 
cuted, not  only  by  the  openly  vicious  and  profane,  but  by  many 
nominal  Christians,  or  formal  professors,  who  could  not  bear 
his  heart-searchirlg  and  penetrating  addresses,  and  the  indigna- 
ty  against  the  ungodly,  which,  as  a  son  of  thunder,  he  clearly 
presented  to  the  view  of  iheir  guilty  minds  from  the  awful  de- 
nunciations of  the  Word  of  Truth.  Although  he  did  not  fail  to 
J)reach  Jesus  Christ,  and  him  crucified,  to  laboring  and  heavy 
aden  sinners,  and  to  administer  consolation  which  the  gospel 
speaks  to  humble  believers;  yet  he  was  more  distinguished  by  a 
talent  for  depicting  the  guilty  and  deplorable  situation  of  impen- 
itent sinners,  and  the  awful  consequences  of  their  rebellion  a» 


Vi  0XETCH,  &LCt 

gainst  God,  without  speedy  repentance  unto  life  and  a  living 
faith  in  the  blood  of  sprinkling.  There  is  reason  to  believe  that 
his  faithful  and  indefatigable  labors  in  the  gospel  of  Christ  were 
crowned  with  a  great  degree  of  success.,  and  that  he  was  honor- 
ed as  an  instrument  in  the  conviction  and  conversion  of  many, 
sinners,  and  more  especially  in  the  commencement  and  progress 
of  several  powerful  revivals  of  religion,  in  difierent  places,  during 
"which  he  labored  with  distinguished  zeal  and  activity. 

We  shall  conclude  our  remarks  by  observing,  that  some  of 
the  traits  in  Mr.  M'G ready's  character  as  a  private  Christian, 
which  are  worthy  of  our  imitation,  were  his  fervent  piety,  his 
unafi'ectpd  humility,  his  earnest,  persevering  supplications  at  the 
Throne  of  Grace,  his  resignation  to  the  will  of  God  under  the  af- 
flictions, bereavements  and  poverty  with  which  he  was  tried  in 
this  world,  his  cheerful  reliance  on  God's  kind  and  watchful 
providence  and  confidence  in  his  great  and  precious  promises, 
and  his  contempt  of  the  pomp  and  vanities  of  this  world,  to 
which  he  seemed  to  be,  in  a  great  degree,  crucified.  And,  as  a 
minister  of  the  gospel,  he  ought  to  be  imitated  in  his  regard  to 
the  honor  of  God  and  the  salvation  of  souls,  his  vigorous  and 
zealous  exertions  to  promote  these  grand  objects,  his  fidelity  in 
declaring  the  whole  counsel  of  God,  and  his  patience  in  bearing 
the  revilings  of  the  ungodly, 

NoTB For  further  particulars  concerning  the  chararter  of  this  man  of  God,  the  reader 

1>  referred  t(»  Sroith'i  History  cf  the  Cumberland  Presbyteriao  Church . 


NARRATIVE 

OF  THE 

COMMENCEMENT  AND    PROGRESS 

OF  THE 

REVIVAL  OF  1800, 

BT  THE  I:.ATE:   MEVERENO  JAMES   M'OREADT, 

In  a  Letter  to  a  Friend,  dated  ^^ Logan  County,  Ky.,  Oct.  23, 1 801." 

"But  I  promised  to  give  you  a  short  statement  of  our  blessed 
revival;  on  which  you  will  at  once  say,  the  Lord  has  done  great 
things  for  us  in  the  wilderness,  and  the  solitary  place  has  been 
made  glad:  the  desert  has  rejoiced  and  blossomed  as  the  rose. 

"In  the  month  of  May,  1 797,  which  was  the  spring  after  1  came 
to  this  country,  the  Lord  graciously  visited  Gasper  River  Con- 
gregation (an  infant  church  then  under  my  charge.)  The  doc- 
tunes  ot  i?eo-e?iera^it»n.  Faith  and  Repentance,  which  I  uniformly 
preached,  seemed  to  call  the  attention  of  the  people  to  a  serious 
inquiry.  During  the  winter  the  question  was  often  proposed 
to  me.  Is  Religion  a  sensible  thing?  If  I  were  converted  would 
I  feel  it,  and-know  it?     In  May,  as  I  said  before,  the  work  began. 

"A  woman,  who  had  been  a  professor,  in  full  communion  wiih 
the  church,  found  her  old  hope  false  and  delusive — she  was 
struck  with  deep  conviction,  and  in  a  few  days  was  filled  with 
joy  and  peace  in  believing.  She  immediately  visited  her  friends 
and  relatives,  from  house  to  house,  and  warned  them  of  their 
danger  in  a  most  solemn,  faithful  manner,  and  plead  with  them 
to  repent  and  seek  religion.  This,  as  a  mean,  was  accompa- 
nied with  the  divine  blessing  to  the  awakening  of  many.  About 
this  time  the  ears  of  all  in  that  congregation  seemed  to  be  open 
to  receive  the  word  preached  and  almost  every  sermon  was  ac- 
companied with  the  power  of  God,  to  the  awakening  of  sinners. 
During  the  summer,  about  ten  persons  in  the  congregation  were 
brought  to  Christ.  In  the  fall  of  the  year  a  general  deadness 
seemed  to  creep  on  apace.  Conviction  and  conversion  work, 
in  a  great  measure,  ceased;  and  no  visible  alteration  for  the  bet- 
ter took  place,  until  the  summer  of  1798,  at  the  administration 
of  the  sacrament  of  tke  supper,  which  was  in  July.  On  Monday 
the  Lord  graciously  poured  out  his  Spirit;  a  very  general  awak- 
ening took  place — perhaps  but  few  families  in  the  congregation 
could  be  found  who,  less  or  more,  were  not  struck  with  an  aw- 
ful sense  of  their  lost  estate.     During  the  week  following  but 


Vlll  WA-RRATIVK  ©»  THK  C0MMENCEM1!»T 

few  persons  attended  to  worldly  business,  their  attention  to  the 
business  of  their  souls  was  so  great.  On  the  first  Sabbath  of 
September,  the  sacrament  was  administered  at  Muddy  River 
(one  of  my  congregations).  At  this  meeting  the  Lord  gracious- 
ly poured  forth  his  spirit,  to  the  awakening  of  many  careless 
sinners.  Through  these  two  congregations  already  mentioned, 
and  through  Red  River,  my  other  congregation,  awakening 
work  went  on  with  power  under  every  sermon.  The  people 
seemed  to  hear,  as  for  eternity.  In  every  house,  and  almost  in 
every  company,  the  whole  conversation  with  people,  was  jjbout 
the  state  of  their  souls.  About  this  time  the  Rev.  J.  B.  came 
here,  and  found  a  Mr.  R.  to  join  him.  In  a  little  time  he  in- 
volved our  infant  churches  in  confusion,  disputation,  &c.  op- 
posed the  doctrines  preached  here;  ridiculed  the  whole  work 
of  the  revival;  formed  a  considerable  party,  &c.  &c.  In  a  few 
weeks  this  seemed  to  have  put  a  final  stop  to  the  whole  work, 
and  our  infant  congregation  remained  in  a  state  of  deadnes«  and 
darkness  from  the  fall,  through  the  winter,  and  until  the  month 
of  July,  1799,  at  the  administration  of  the  sacrament  at  Red  Ri- 
ver. This  was  a  very  solemn  time  throughout.  On  Aionday, 
the  power  of  God  seemed  to  fill  the  congregation;  the  boldest, 
daring  sinners  in  the  country  covered  their  laces  and  wept  bit- 
terly. After  the  congregation  was  dismissed,  a  large  number 
of  people  stayed  about  the  doors,  unvi^illing  to  go  away.  Some 
of  the  ministers  proposed  to  me  to  collect  the  people  in  the 
meeting  house  again,  and  perform  prayer  with  them;  accord- 
ingly we  went  in,  and  joined  in  prayer  and  exhortation.  The 
mighty  power  of  God  came  amongst  us  like  a  shower  from  the 
everlasting  hills — God's  people  were  quickened  and  comforted; 
yea,  some  of  them  were  filled  with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of 
glory.  Sinners  were  powerfully  alarmed,  and  some  precious 
souls  were  brought  to  feel  the  pardoning  love  of  Jesus. 

"At  Gasper  River  (at  this  time  under  the  care  of  Mr.  Rankin, 
a  precious  instrument  in  the  hand  of  God)  the  sacrament  was 
administered  in  August.  This  was  one  of  the  days  of  the  son  of 
Man,  indeed,  especially  on  Monday.  I  preached  a  plain  gospel 
sermon  on  Heb.  11  and  16.  The  better  country.  A  great  so- 
lemnity continued  during  the  sermon.  After  sermon  Mr.  Ran- 
kin gave  a  solemn  exhortation — the  congregation  was  then  dis- 
missed; but  the  people  all  kept  their  seats  for  a  considerable 
space,  whilst  awful  solemnity  appeared  in  the  countenances  of 
a  large  majority.  Presently  several  persons  under  deep  con- 
victions broke  forth  into  a  loud  outcry — many  fell  to  the  ground 
lay  powerless,  groaning,  praying  and  crying  for  mercy.  As  I 
passed  through  the  multitude,  a  woman,  lying  in  awful  distress, 
called  me  to  her.  Said  she,  "I  lived  in  your  congregation  in 
Carolina;  I  was  a  professor,  and  often  went  to  the  communion; 


AND  PROGRESS  OV  THE  RKVIVAL  OW  1800.  ix 

but  I  was  deceived;  I  have  no  religion;  I  am  going  to  hell."  In 
another  place  an  old  grey  headed  man  lay  in  an  agony  of  distress, 
addressing  his  weeping  wife  and  children  in  such  language  as 
this:  "We  are  all  going  to  hell  together;  we  have  lived  prayer- 
less,  ungodly  lives;  the  work  of  our  souls  is  yet  to  begin;  we 
must  get  religion,  or  we  will  all  be  damned."  But  time  would 
fail  me  to  mention  every  instance  of  this  kind. 

"At  Muddy  River  the  sacrament  was  administered  in  Septem- 
ber. The  power  of  God  was  gloriously  present  on  this  occa- 
sion. The  circumstances  ol  it  are  equal,  if  not  superior  to  those 
of  Gasper  River.  Many  souls  were  solemnly  awakened;  a  num- 
ber, we  hope,  converted — whilst  the  people  of  God  feasted  on 
the  hidden  manna,  and,  with  propriety,  might  be  said  to  sing 
the  new  song.  But  the  year  1 800  exceeds  all  that  my  eyes  ever 
beheld  upon  earth.  All  that  I  have  related  is  only,  as  it  were, 
an  introduction.  Although  many  souls  in  these  congregations, 
during  the  three  preceding  years,  have  been  savingly  converted, 
and  now  give  living  evidences  of  their  union  to  Christ;  yet  all 
that  work  is  only  like  a  few  drops  before  a  mighty  rain,  when 
compared  with  the  wonders  of  Almighty  Grace,  that  took  place 
in  the  year  1 800. 

"In  June,  the  sacrament  was  administered  at  Red  River. 
This  was  the  greatest  time  we  had  ever  seen  before.  On  Mon- 
day multitudes  were  struck  down  under  awful  conviction;  the 
cries  of  the  distressed  filled  the  whole  house.  There  you  might 
see  profane  swearers,  and  sabbath-breakers  pricked  to  the  heart, 
and  crying  out,  "what  shall  we  do  to  be  saved?"  There  frolic- 
ers  and  dancers  crying  for  mercy.  There  you  might  see  little 
children  of  ten,  eleven  and  twelve  years  of  age,  praying  and  cry- 
ing for  redemption,  in  the  blood  of  Jesus,  in  agonies  of  distress. 
During  this  sacrament,  and  until  the  Tuesday  following,  ten  per- 
sons, we  believe,  were  savingly  brought  home  to  Christ. 

"In  July,  the  sacrament  was  administered  in  Gasper  River 
Congregation.  Here  multitudes  crowded  from  all  parts  of  the 
country  to  see  a  strange  work,  from  the  distance  of  forty,  fifty 
and  even  a  hundred  miles ;  whole  families  came  in  their  wagons ; 
between  twenty  and  thirty  wagons  were  brought  to  the  place, 
loaded  with  people,  and  their  provisions,  in  order  to  encamp  at 
the  meeting  house.  On  Friday,  nothing  more  appeared  during 
the  day,  than  a  decent  solemnity.  On  Saturday,  matters  con- 
tinued in  the  same  way,  until  in  the  evening.  Two  pious  wo- 
men were  sitting  together,  conversing  about  their  exercises; 
which  conversation  seemed  to  affect  some  of  the  by-standers; 
instantly  the  divine  flame  spread  through  the  whole  multitude. 
Presently  you  might  have  seen  sinners  lying  powerless  in  every 
part  of  the  house,  praying  and  crying  for  mercy.  Ministers  and 
private  Christians  were  kept  busy  during  the  night  conversing 

b 


T  I^4RRATiyK    OF    THE    COMMKNCBMEKT 

with  the  distressed.  This  night  a  goodly  number  of  awakened 
souls  were  delivered  by  sweet  believing  views  of  the  glory,  fit- 
ness and  sufficiency  of  Christ,  to  save  to  the  uttermost.  Amongst 
these  were  some  little  children — a  striking  proof  of  the  religion 
of  Jesus.  Of  many  instances  to  which  I  have  been  an  eye-wit- 
ness, I  shall  only  mention  one,  viz.  a  little  girl.  I  stood  by  her 
whilst  she  lay  across  her  mother's  lap  almost  in  despair.  I  was 
conversing  with  her  when  the  first  gleam  of  light  broke  in  upon 
her  mind — She  started  to  her  feet,  and  in  an  ecstacy  of  joy,  she 
cried  out,  "O  he  is  willing,  he  is  willing — he  is  come,  he  is  come — 
O  what  a  sweet  Christ  he  is — O  what  a  precious  Christ  he  is — 
O  what  a  fulness  I  see  in  him — O  what  a  beauty  I  see  in  him- — 
O  why  was  it  that  I  never  could  believe !  that  I  never  could 
come  to  Christ  before,  when  Christ  was  so  willing  to  save  me  ?" 
Then  turning  round,  she  addressed  sinners,  and  told  them  of  the 
glory,  willingness  and  preciousness  of  Christ,  and  plead  with 
them  to  repent;  and  all  this  in  language  so  heavenly,  and  at  the 
same  time,  so  rational  and  scriptural,  that  I  was  filled  with  astonish- 
ment. But  were  I  to  write  you  every  particular  of  this  kind 
that  I  have  been  an  eye  and  ear  witness  to,  during  the  two  past 
years,  it  would  fill  many  sheets  of  paper. 

"At  this  sacrament  a  great  many  people  from  Cumberland, 
particularly  from  Shiloh  Congregation,  came  with  great  curios- 
ity to  see  the  work,  yet  prepossessed  with  strong  prejudices 
against  it;  about  five  of  whom,  I  trust,  were  savingly  and  pow- 
erfully converted  before  they  left  the  place.  •  A  circumstance 
worthy  of  observation,  they  were  sober  professors  in  full  com- 
munion. It  was  truly  affecting  to  see  them  lying  powerless, 
crying  for  mercy,  and  speaking  to  their  friends  and  relations,  in 
such  language  as  this:  "O,  we  despised  the  work  that  we  heard 
of  in  Logan;  but,  O,  we  were  deceived — I  have  no  religion;  I 
know  now  there  is  a  reality  in  these  things;  three  days  ago  I 
would  have  despised  any  person  that  would  have  behaved  as  I 
am  doing  now;  but,  0,I  feel  the  very  pains  of  hell  in  my  soul." 
This  was  the  language  of  a  precious  soul,  just  before  the  hour  of 
deliverance  came.  When  they  went  home,  their  conversation 
to  their  friends  and  neighbors,  was  the  means  of  commencing  a 
glorious  work  that  has  overspread  all  the  Cumberland  settlements 
to  the  conversion  of  hundreds  of  precious  souls.  The  work  con- 
tinued night  and  day  at  this  sacrament,  whilst  the  vast  multitude 
continued  upon  the  ground  until  Tuesday  morning.  According 
to  the  best  computation,  we  believe,  that'forty-five  souls  were 
brought  to  Christ  on  this  occasion. 

"Muddy  River  Sacrament,  in  all  its  circumstances,  was  equal, 
and  in  some  respects  superior,  to  that  at  Gasper  River.  This 
sacrament  was  in  August.  We  believe  about  fifty  persons,  at 
this  time,  obtained  religion. 


A^9  PKOSItBSS    or   THS   &KVITAL   OF    1800.  \X 

"At  Ridge  Sacrament,  in  Cumberland,  the  second  Sabbath  in 
September,  about  forty-five  souls,  we  believe,  obtained  religion. 
At  Shiloh  Sacrament,  the  third  Sabbath  in  September,  about 
seventy  persons.  At  Mr.  Craighead's  sacrament,  in  October, 
about  forty  persons.  At  the  Clay  Lick  sacrament,  congregation^ 
in  Logan  county,  in  October,  eight  persons.  At  Little  Muddy 
Creek  sacrament,  in  November,  about  twelve.  At  Montgome- 
ry's Meeting-house,  in  Cumberland,  about  forty.  At  Hopewell 
sacrament,  in  Cumberland,  in  November,  about  twenty  persons. 
To  mention  the  ci>/,lumstances  of  more  private  occasions,  com- 
mon-days preaching,  and  societies,  would  swell  a  letter  to  a 
volume. 

"The  present  season  has  been  a  blessed  season  likewise;  yet 
not  equal  to  last  year  in  conversion  work.  I  shall  just  give  you 
a  list  of  our  sacraments,  and  the  number,  we  believe,  experienced 
religion  at  each,  during  the  present  year,  1801." 

[^My  correspondent  here  mentions  several  ditferent  sacraments 
held  at  different  places,  and  the  number  that  he  hopes  obtained 
true  religion,  at  these  several  solemnities,  amounts  in  all  to  l44 
persons.     He  then  proceeds: — ] 

"I  would  just  remark  that,  among  the  great  numbers  in  our 
country  that  professed  to  obtain  religion,  1  scarcely  know  an  in- 
stance of  any  that  gave  a  comfortable  ground  of  hope  to  the  peo- 
ple of  God,  that  they  had  religion,  and  have  been  admitted  to 
the  privileges  of  the  church,  that  have,  in  any  degree,  disgraced 
their  profession,  or  given  us  any  ground  to  doubt  their  religion. 

"Were  I  to  mention  to  you  the  rapid  progress  of  this  work,  in 
vacant  congregations,  carried  on  by  the  means  of  a  few  supplies 
and  by  praying  societies — such  as  at  Stone's  River,  Cedar  Creek, 
Goose  Creek,  the  Red  Banks,  the  Fountain  Head,  and  many 
other  places — it  would  be  more  than  time,  or  the  bounds  of  a 
letter  would  admit  of.  Mr.  M'G.  and  myself  administered  the 
sacrament  at  the  Red  Banks,  on  the  f  ^hio,  about  a  month  ago — 
a  vacant  congregation,  nearly  a  hundred  miles  distant  from  any 
regular  organized  society,  formerly  a  place  famed  for  wicked- 
ness, and  a  perfect  synagogue  of  Satan.  I  visited  them  twice 
at  an  early  period;  Mr.  R.  twice,  and  Mr.  H.  once.  These 
supplies  the  Lord  blessed,  as  a  means  to  start  his  work  and 
their  praying  societies  were  attended  with  the  power  of  God,  to 
the  conversion  of  almost  whole  families.  When  we  administered 
the  sacrament  amongst  them,  they  appeared  to  be  the  most 
blessed  little  society  I  ever  saw.  1  ordained  ten  elders  among 
them,  all  precious  Christians;  three  of  which,  two  yea-s  ago 
were  professed  deists,  now  living  monuments  of  Almighty 
Grace." 

The  original  is  signed, 

JAMES  M'GREADY. 


■— 


-Sgk 


CONTENTS 


^                             ,                                   PAGK» 

Preface,        -            -            -            -            - ,-  iii. 

Character  of  the  Author,             -             -             .  v. 

Some  account  of  the  Revival  of  1800,             -             -  vii. 
SERMONS. 

I.  The  Divine  Authority  of  the  Christian  Religion,          -  1 

II.  Jesus  Christ  a  mighty  Conqueroi',            -             -  -  17 

III.  The  Nature  and  Consequences  of  Sin,           -             -  32 

IV.  Parable  of  the  Dry  Bones,         -            -             -  -  42 

V.  The  Sure  Foundation,         -             -             -             -  51 

VI.  Christ  the  Author  and  Finisher  of  the  Life  of  Grace,  57 

VII.  The  Excellencies  of  Christ  as  displayed  in  the  Plan  of 

Salvation,         -             -             -            _            .  gy 

VIII.  The  Believer  embracing  Christ,         -             -  81 

IX.  The  Experience  and  Privileges  of  the  True  Believer,  90 

X.  No  room  for  Christ  in  the  Hearts  of  Sinners,         -  104 

XI.  The  Blinding  Policies  of  Satan,         -  •  .113 

XII.  The  Danger  of  Rejecting  the  Means  of  Salvation,  122 

XIII.  The  General  Judgment,             -             -             -  129 

XIV.  The  Character,  History  and  End  of  the  Fool,  1 35 

XV.  The  Sinner's  Guide  to  Hell,        -             -             -  150 

XVI.  The  Importance  of  Early  Piety,    -             -            -  158 

XVII.  Christ  has  done  all  Things  well,             -             -  167 

XVIII.  A  Sacramental  Meditation,           -            -             -  174 

XIX.  The  Devices  of  Satan,               -            -            -  180 

XX.  The  Superabounding  Grace  of  God,             -             -  197 

XXI.  Qualifications  and  Duties  of  a  Minister  of  the  Gospel,  213 

XXII.  The  Christian's  Journey  to  the  Heavenly  Canaan,  222 

XXIII.  The  work  of  the  Spirit  distinguished  from  that  of  the 

Devil,         -----  235 

XXIV.  The  Hope  of  the  Hypocrite,         -             -             -  253 

XXV.  The  Deceitfulness  of  the  Human  Heart,            -  266 

XXVI.  The  New  Birth,           -            -            -            -  277 

XXVII.  The  New  Birth,             -            -            -            -  294 


XIV  CONTENTS. 

PASK . 

XXVIII.  Terms  of  Discipleship,         -  .  -  308 

XXIX.  Nature  and  Necessity  of  Faith,     -  -  -      318 

XXX.  Nature  and  Tendency  of  Unbelief,      -  -  327 

XXXI.  The  Doom  of  the  Impenitent,    -  -  -        337 

XXXII.  The  Saving  Sight,  -  -  -  348 

XXXIII.  The  meeting  of  Christ  and  his  Disciples,         -       359 

XXXIV.  Christ  wonderful  in  his  Person,  Offices  and  Works,  378 

XXXV.  Scriptural  Testimony  of  the  Character  and  Works 

of  Christ,         .  .  .  -  .    389 

XXXVI.  The  Young  invited  to  come  to  Christ,        *  398 

XXXVII.  Funeral  Sermon,  -  -  -  -    409 

XXXVIII.  Fast  Day  Sermon,  -  -  -  431 

XXXIX.  The  Believer's  Espousals  to  Christ,  -  -  438 
XL.  Vindication  of  the  Exercises  in  the  Revival  of  1800,  449 
XLI.  Hindrance  of  the  Work  of  God,  -  -  -  459 
XLII.  The  Bible  a  Revelation  from  Heaven,  -  470 
Lecture  on  Intemperance,            -             .             -  437 


2  ON    THE    DIVINE    AUTHORITY 

discovery,  for  they  had  thousands  of  Gods  to  whom  they  at- 
tributed the  basest  acts  of  immorality.  Witness  the  obscene 
debaucheries  of  their  Jupiter,  Apollo  and  Venus,  the  tricks  and 
deceptions  of  Mercury,  and  the  swinish  intemperance  of 
Bacchus  and  his  worshippers.  Again,  view  all  the  nations  of 
the  earth  in  the  present  day,  where  the  Bible  is  unknown,  and 
where  the  Christian  religion  does  not  fexist,  and  you  will  find 
them  in  nearly  a  state  of  savage  barbarity,  not  only  grossly  igno- 
rant of  the  nature  and  perfections  of  God,  but  also  of  their  duty  to 
men,  and  of  the  first  principles  of  civil  government.  This  is 
evident  from  the  state  of  the  Chinese  and  Turkish  empires,  the 
numerous  tribes  of  Tartars,  the  inhabitants  of  the  vast  continent 
of  Africa,  and  the  savage  nations  of  America.  Now  let  reason, 
the  light  of  nature  and  common  sense,  point  out  any  nation  or 
people,  who,  without  any  knowledge  of  the  Bible,  have  acquired 
from  the  book  of  nature  any  just  ideas  of  the  being  and  perfec- 
tions of  God,  or  the  nature  of  their  duty  to  God  and  man.  But 
the  Deist  replies,  there  is  one  true  and  eternal  God,  the  almighty 
first  cause  of  all  things,  and  this  God  is  a  being  of  all  possible  good- 
ness and  perfection,  possessed  of  every  amiable  and  moral  excel- 
lency. I  say  the  same — the  Bible  says  the  same — and  all  Deists 
have  learned  this  importnnt  truth,  either  directly  or  indirectly, 
from  the  Bible.  Their  fathers  and  grandfathers  believed  in  the 
Bible,  and  held  it  in  high  veneration,  and  from  education  they  re- 
tain some  of  the  truths  of  the  Bible,  while  they  would  reject  it 
altogether. 

But  there  is  one  true  and  eternal  God,  w^ho  possesses  all  possi- 
ble goodness  and  perfection;  in  this  the  Deist  and  the  Christian 
agree.  This  God  made  man  a  rational  creature,  capable  of  dis- 
tinguishing between  good  and  evil ;  in  this  also  the  Deist  and 
the  Christian  agree.  It  must  be  the  will  of  such  a  God,  that 
his  rational  creature,  man,  should  do  right,  that  he  should  per- 
form certain  duties  to  his  God,  and  certain  duties  to  his  fellow- 
men,  and  the  neglect  or  non-performance  of  these  duties,  must 
be  criminal  in  the  judgment  of  an  all-wise,  pure  and  holy  God; 
this,  reason  and  the  light  of  nature  plainly  acknowledge,  and 
here  also,  the  Deist  and  the  Christian  agree. 

If  the  Supreme,  Eternal  God  be  a  being  of  all  possible  good- 
ness and  perfection,  and  possessed  of  every  amiable  and  moral 
excellency,  delighting  in  the  happiness  of  his  creatures,  then  he 
must  originally  have  created  man  in  his  own  image,  a  pure,  holy 
being,  free  from  any  propensity  to  vice  and  wickedness,  and 
also  free  from  all  the  natural  evils  that  now  encircle  him  on 
every  side,  and  render  him  miserable  in  every  situation  of  life. 
Reason  and  the  light  of  nature  suggest  that  such  a  God  would 
oritrinally  create  man  in  such  a  condition;  and  here  the  Deist 
and  the  Christian  are  agreed. 


OF    THE    CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  3 

Again,  if  a  pure  and  holy  God  made  man  such  a  being  as  we 
must  rationally  suppose  such  a  God  would  have  made  him,  then 
man,  by  some  means,  has  lost  his  original  rectituded  and  purity; 
he  has  become  a  fallen,  depraved  creature,  prone  to  vice  and 
wickedness;  he  has  also  become  a  miserable  creature,  exposed 
to  losses  and  disappointments,  to  pains,  sorrows,  diseases  and 
death.  This  is  a  fact  so  plain  and  self-evident  to  the  view  of  reason 
and  the  light  of  nature,  that  no  sensible  Deist,  who  admits  the  dif- 
fernce  between  vice  and  virtue,  can  possibly  deny  it;  therefore, 
I  conclde,  that  here  the  Christian  and  the  Deist  are  agreed. 

Again,  if  the  Sovereign  of  the  Universe  be  a  being  of  all 
possible  goodness  and  perfection — if  he  have  made  man  a  ration- 
al creature,  and  placed  him  under  a  law — if  it  be  his  will  that 
man  should  do  right — and  if  every  evil  act  be  a  violation  of  this 
law,  then  every  sinful  act  renders  man  liable  to  punishment. — 
To  say  that  God  sees  no  difference  between  vice  and  virtue,  or 
that  he  considers  it  a  matter  of  indifference  whether  his  creatures 
did  right  or  wrong,  would  be  to  represent  the  Deity  as  the  most 
odious  of  beings;  this  is  so  plain  to  the  view  of  reason  and  the 
light  of  nature,  that  I  conclude  here  the  Deist  and  the  Christian 
are  agreed. 

Then  if  a  man  is  guilty  of  violating  the  law  of  God,  he  stands 
obnoxious  to  punishment;  for  should  the  Supreme  Law  Giver  of 
the  Universe  suffer  every  act  of  sin  to  pass  unpunished,  his  law 
must  sink  into  contempt,  and  forever  cease  to  be  a  law.  All 
difTerence  betwen  vice  and  virtue,  right  and  wrong,  moral  good 
and  evil,  must  eternally  cease:  the  character  of  the  Law  Giver 
must  also  sink  into  contempt,  and  the  moral  government  of  the 
Universe  must  be  plunged  into  the  most  horrible  confusion,  and 
disorder;  this,  reason  and  the  light  of  nature  must  acknow- 
ledge, therefore  I  conclude  that  so  far  the  Deist  and  the  Christian 
are  agreed. 

These  things  being  established,  I  will  now  propose  a  few 
questions  to  the  Deist,  and  I  would  expect  him  to  bring  forward 
the  unerring  book  of  creation,  and  strain  his  enlightened  reason 
to  its  highest  stretch,  and  answer  them  if  he  can: — When  did 
time  commence,  or  when  did  this  world  begin  to  exist?  How 
did  the  human  family  first  come  into  being?  How  did  sin,  death, 
and  every  species  of  natural  and  moral  evil  enter  the  world? 
You  laugh  at  the  Bible  account  of  these  things,  but  laughter  is 
not  evidence ;  prove  from  unanswerable  arguments  that  the  Bible 
account  is  wrong,  and  shew  the  honest  inquirer  after  truth  how 
these  things  came  to  pass. 

But  the  principal  questions  I  wish  to  ask,  are: — How  shall 
the  guilty,  offending  sinner  atone  for  his  crimes,  and  how  is  he 
to  obtain  pardon,  and  reconciliation  to  his  God?  How  shall 
the  Sovereign  of  the  Universe,  a  God  of  spotless  purity  and 


4  ON    THE    DIVINE    aVTHORJTT 

immaculate  holiness,  extend  his  mercy  and  pardon  and  save  the 
sinner,  and  at  the  same  time  support  the  honor  and  dignity  of 
his  law,  and  vindicate  the  rights  of  his  government?  Or  how 
shall  the  guilty  culprit  be  so  eflectually  cured  of  the  malignant 
moral  pollution  of  sin  as  to  become  the  object  of  love  and  favor 
of  his  God,  so  as  to  enjoy  fellowship  and  communion  wdth  him 
in  the  present  world,  and  be  admitted  to  the  full  and  eternal 
enjoyment  of  him  in  the  heavenly  state?  Can  reason  tell?  Can 
the  light  of  nature  prescribe  the  way?  Can  the  unerring  book 
of  creation  suggest  any  plan?  No — reason  fails — the  light  of 
nature  and  the  book  of  creation,  must  stand  in  silence.  The 
most  wise,  learned  and  enlightened  Deist  must  acknowledge  the 
necessity  of  a  revelation  from  heaven  to  unfold  the  mystery — 
or  he  must  represent  the  Deity  an  unholy  being,  like  himself,  who 
sees  little  or  no  evil  in  sin,  who  pays  no  more  regard  to  the  honor 
and  dignity  of  his  law,  than  the  sinner  does  who  tramples  it 
under  his  feet. 

But  we  assert  it  as  an  unquestionable  truth,  that  candid  and 
unprejudiced  reason  sees  and  acknowledges  the  necessity  of  a 
revelation  from  heaven  to  point  out  the  way  to  peace,  pardon, 
and  reconciliation  to  God.  The  conscience  of  every  sinner, 
even  the  conscience  of  every  Deist,  under  solemn,  realizing 
views  of  death  and  eternity,  whispers  in  his  breast  that  some- 
thing like  the  Christian  religion  is  necessary  to  his  happiness  be- 
yond the  grave.  The  Light  of  Nature  teaches  the  honest, 
candid  pagan  the  propriety  and  possibility  of  a  revelation  from 
God.  He  infers  it  from  his  natural  goodness.  If  God  has  pro- 
vided a  remedy  suited  to  every  temporal  calamity,  a  medicine 
suited  to  every  disease  of  the  human  body,  will  not  he  that  is 
all  goodness  provide  some  remedy  to  cure  the  moral  distempers 
of  the  mind?  Will  he  not  discover  some  way,  by  which  de- 
praved man  may  be  delivered  from  the  guilt  and  pollution  of 
sin,  and  restored  to  his  favor? 

Upon  such  principles  as  these  Socrates  reasoned,  and  infer- 
red the  necessity  and  probability  of  the  revelation  of  some 
divine  remedy,  and  gave  it  as  his  opinion  that  such  a  remedy, 
would  be  revealed,  and  that  he  thought  most  probably  the  Deity 
would  send  some  extraordinary  person  into  the  world,  to  teach 
the  will  of  God,  and  the  way  to  happiness.  I  would  add  the 
example  of  a  poor  Savage,  a  native  of  Greenland,  quoted  by 
the  author  of  the  "  Age  of  Infidelity."  Conversing  with  a  mis- 
sionary who  was  the  instrument  of  his  conversion, — "  It  is  true, 
(said  he)  we  were  poor  heathens,  we  knew  nothing  of  God  and 
a  Saviour,  but  you  are  not  to  imagine  that  no  Greenlander  thinks 
about  these  things.  I  often  thought  that  a  fishing  boat  does  not 
grow  into  existence  of  itself,  it  must  be  made  by  the  labor  of  some 
man.     Now  the  meanest  bone  has  more  skill  displayed  in  its  struc- 


OF    THE    CHIUSTIAN     RELIGION.  0 

ture  than  a  fishing  boat;  and  there  is  still  more  skill  displayed 
in  the  formation  of  man.  Who  made  him?  I  often  thought  he 
proceeded  from  his  parents*,  and  they  from  theirs;  but  still  there 
must  be  first  parents,  and  from  whence  did  they  come?  Common 
report  informs  me  they  grew  out  of  the  earth ;  but  if  so,  why  do 
not  men  grow  out  of  the  earth  now?  But  from  whence  did  the 
earth,  the  sea,  the  sun,  the  moon  and  stars  come  into  existence? 
Some  being  made  all  these  things — a  being  that  always  was,  and 
never  can  cease  to  be.  He  must  be  wise  and  good.  O  that  I 
did  but  know  him,  how  I  would  love  and  honor  him  1 — but  so  soon 
as  I  heard  you  speak  of  this  Great  Being,  I  directly  believed 
with  all  my  heart,  because  I  had  so  long  desired  it." 

Well,  this  despised  book,  the  Bible,  unveils  the  mystery  and 
opens  a  door  of  hope  to  a  lost  world.  In  the  words  of  our  text, 
we  have  the  blessed  remedy  exhibited — we  have  this  divine 
revelation  with  all  the  unspeakable  blessings  contained  in  it: — 
"  This  is  a  faithful  saying,  and  worthy  of  all  acceptation,  that 
Jesus  Christ  came  into  tlic  wo7'ld  to  save  siiiners.'''  In  these 
words  we  have, 

1st.  The  most  joyful  tidings  that  ever  sounded  in  the  ears  of 
guilty  sinners.  An  Almighty  Saviour  has  come  into  our  world 
for  the  most  benevolent  purposes — "  to  seek  and  save  them  that 
were  lost,  to  save  sinners,  even  the  chief  of  them.'''' 

2d.  We  have  a  strong  convincing  proof  of  the  Godhead  and 
Divinity  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  "  He  came  into  the  world 
to  save  sinners.''"'  "  He  came  into  the  world" — this  plainly  im- 
plies that  he  existed  before  his  incarnation;  he  could  not  be 
said  to  come  into  the  world,  unless  he  had  a  being  before  ha 
came  into  it;  this  agrees  with  the  idea  of  the  Evangelist  John: 
"  the  word  that  was  in  the  beginning  with  God,  and  was  God, 
was  made  flesh  and  dwelt  among  usf  and  again  with  that  of  the 
apostle:  "  Who,  being  in  the  form  of  God,  thought  it  not  robbery 
to  be  equal  with  God;  but  made  himself  of  no  reputation,  and 
took  upon  him  the  form  of  a  servant.''"' 

3d.  We  have  a  declaration  of  the  unquestionable  certainty 
of  this  precious  truth:  "  It  is  a  faithful  saying,  and  worthy  of 
all  acceptation,  that  Jesus  Christ  came  into  the  world  to  save  sin' 
ners."'"'  It  is  an  infallible  truth,  its  evidences  are  so  clear  and 
self-evident,  that  it  is  worthy  of  the  highest  credit. 

In  further  treating  on  this  subject,  we  shall  simply  prove  that 
this  Jesus  who  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners  is  a  Divine 
Saviour  sent  of  God  for  that  purpose. 

I.  We  shall  prove  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  from  the  testimony 
of  scripture  prophecies  that  expres'sly  received  their  accomplish- 
ment in  him. 

But,  says  the  Deist,  I  do  not  belifcve  the  Bible ;  therefore  I  will 
not  admit  its  prophecies  as  testimony..     To  this  I  would  answer^ 


b  ON    THE  DIVINE    AUMHORITY 

no  rational  Deist  can  refuse  it.  If  a  witness  be  brought  into  court 
to  prove  an  important  fact,  and  he  i^  a  person  of  unquestiona- 
ble veracity,  the  court  must  receive  him  as  a  good  witness. — 
Such  a  witness  is  the  Bible.  The  most  daring  infidel  cannot 
produce  a  single  instance  where  the  veracity  of  its  prophecies 
has  failed;  at  the  same  time  a  variety  of  plain  matters  of  fact 
stand,  from  age  to  age,  as  lasting  monuments  (more  durable  than 
brass)  of  the  truth  of  these  predictions. 

The  prophecy  concerning  Ishmael  was,  "  that  he  should  be  a 
wild  man,''^  that  he  should  "  live  in  the  desert,''^  and  that  he  should 
^^dwell  in  the  presence  of  his  brethren  f  i.  e.  that  he  and  his  pos- 
terity should  never  be  conquered.  Nothing  can  be  moi'e  evi- 
dent than  the  accomplishment  of  this  prophecy.  The  Ishmael- 
ites,  or  Arabs,  have  been  wild  men,  inhabitants  of  the  desert, 
for  nearly  three  thousand  years.  They  have  robbed  and  plun- 
dered the  neighboring  nations  from  age  to  age,  yet  they  have  never 
been  conquored  nor  broughtunder  subjection  to  any  people. — 
This  is  one  standing  monumentof  the  truth  of  scripture  prophecy. 

The  prophecy  of  Moses  concering  the  Jews,  is  another  stand- 
ing monument  of  the  truth  of  the  Bible  as  a  divine  revelation ; 
this  subject  is  so  copious,  that  to  demonstrate  it  in  all  its  parts, 
would  take  up  the  bounds  of  a  long  discourse ;  all  we  can  do  at 
present,  is  only  to  hint  at  the  subject.  It  w  as  foretold  that  they 
should  be  "  rooted  up  out  of  their  land;''"'  that  their  country 
should  '"''become  a  desolation;''''  that  ^^ strangers  should  devour 
itf  that  they  should  "  be  driven  to  the  four  ivinds^  scattered  and 
dispersed  among  the  nations  of  the  earth.''''  Every  candid  per- 
§on  who  is  acquainted  with  ancient  and  modern  history,  must  be 
convinced  of  the  certainty  of  the  accomplishment  of  these 
things,  as  he  is  of  his  owai  existence.  This  is  plain  from  the 
testimony  of  modern  history,  and  of  all  the  travellers  who  have 
passed  through  their  country,  which  lies  in  a  state  of  ruin  and 
desolation,  almost  a  barren  desert.  Again;  it  is  an  incontesti- 
ble  fact,  that  they  are  dispersed  over  the  whole  habitable  globe, 
scattered  among  all  the  nations  of  the  earth,  and  at  the  same 
time  they  remain  a  distinct  and  separate  people. 

When  Babylon  was  mistress  of  the  world,  the  metropolis  of 
an  universal  empire,  and  in  the  meridian  splendor  of  her  glory, 
it  was  foretold  that  she  '''should  be  conquored^'"'  nnd  "w  complete- 
ly overthrown  and  destroyed^''  that  "  it  should  be  no  more  inhabit- 
ed forever  f  that  "  the  very  place  whe7x  it  stood  should  be 
unknown.''''  This  prophecy  was  exactly  fulfilled,  as  is  evident 
from  the  testimony  of  history  and  geography. 

When  Egypt  was  one  of  the  most  opulent  and  powerful  na- 
tions on  the  earth,  it  was  foretold  that  it  should  be  conquored  by 
Nebuchadnezzar,  and  be  totally  subjugated  to  the  yoke  of  the 
Chaldean  Em.pire;  that  it  should  never  again  be  an  independant 


ON    THE    CHISTIAN    RELIGION. 


nation :  that  it  should  be  the  basest  of  all  kingdoms,  and  never 
more  be  governed  by  a  prince  of  its  own  nation.  Now,  every 
person  acquainted  with  the  history  of  the  nation  sof  the  earth, 
must  be  convinced  that  this  prediction  has  been  exactly  fulfilled. 
More  than  two  hundred  years  ago  Egypt  was  conquored  by 
Nebuchadnezzar,  and  made  a  province  of  the  Chaldean  Empire ; 
after  that  empire,  it  was  under  the  yoke  of  the  Persian  Emperors; 
it  was  next  subdued  by  Alexander,  andremained  under  the  gov- 
ernment of  Grecian  princes  until  it  was  conquored  by  the  Romans; 
it  was  next  under  the  government  of  the  Emperors  of  Constan- 
tinople; next  to  that,  of  the  Mamelukes;  and  at  present  it  is  a 
contemptible  province  of  Turkey. 

Again;  when  Tyre  was  mistress  of  the  seas,  the  emporium 
of  the  world,  and  commanded  the  commerce  of  the  whole  earth, 
it  was  foretold  that  she  should  be  conquored,  and  finally  de- 
stroyed; that  it  should  be  reduced  to  such  a  state  of  degradation, 
"  that  it  should  contain  only  fishermen's  huts,''^  that  "  it  should 
become  a  naked  rock^  ivhere  jishermen  should  dry  their  nets.'''' — 
History  informs  us  that  this  prediction  has  been  exactly  fulfilled. 
Volney,  a  Deist,  who  was  at  Tyre  a  few  years  ago,  states  in  his 
travels  through  Egypt  and  Syria,  "that  the  present  state  of  Tyre 
exactly  agrees  with  what  the  prophets  foretold." 

We  might  mention  the  predictions  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
respecting  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  by  the  Romans.  Com- 
pare these  predictions  with  the  history  of  that  melancholy  event 
given  by  Flavins  Josephus,  an  unbelieving  Jew,  and  nothing  can 
more  exactly  agree,  than  the  prediction  does  with  the  erent. — 
But  I  would  earnestly  entreat  the  honest  inquirer  after  truth 
to  read,  with  attention.  Bishop  Newton's  Dissertation  6n  the 
Prophecies,  a  book  perhaps  not  equalled  in  the  English  language, 
where  every  particular  is  stated  with  such  clearness  and -precis- 
ion, that  every  candid  mind  must  be  convinced  of  the  accom- 
plishment of  the  prophecies  and  of  the  truth  of  divine  revelation. 

I  now  bring  forward  the  Bible  prophecies,  to  prove  the  divine 
mission  of  Jesus,  that  he  is  the  Saviour  of  the  world,  and  that 
God  sent  him  to  save  even  the  chief  of  sinners. 

From  the  fall  of  Adam  until  the  incarnation  of  Christ,  many 
predictions  were  delivered  concerning  the  Messiah  the  Saviour, 
that  was  to  come.  The  first  prediction  of  Messiah  was  deliv- 
edby  God  himself,  immediately  after  the  fall,  viz:  "  The  seed  of 
the  woman  shall  bruise  the  serpenVs  heacV^  It  was  revealed  to 
Abraham  that  the  Saviour  should  be  of  his  [offspring,  and  that  "in 
Isaac  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  should  be  blessed.''''  Moses  inform- 
ed the  church  while  in  the  wilderness,  that  ''Hhe  Lord  their  God 
should  raise  up  a  ffreat prophet  to  them,  like  unto  him,  and  him  they 
should  hear.''"'  The  prophet  Isaiah  foretold  his  incarnation,  and 
yet  spake  of  him  as  a  divine  person.     "  Vnto  us  a  child  is  born, 


8  ON    THK    DiVlNK    AUTHORITT 

unto  us  a  son  is  given^''  &fc.  He  represents  him  as  a  "  branch 
springing  from  the  root  of  Jesse,'''  as  "  a  great  light  that  should 
spring  up  in  the  dark  region  of  the  shadow* of  death. '^  The 
prophet  Jeremiah  foretold  him  as  a  "  king  thai  should  reign  on  the 
throne  of  David,''^  who  should  execute  ^'judg  ment  and  justice  on 
the  earthy''  and  that  his  name  should  be  called  "  the  Lord  our 
righetousness.  The  prophet  Zachariah  spake  of  him  as  *'i/?e 
man,  God's  fellow,  who  should  be  smitten  bij  the  sword  of  divine 
justice.'''' — But  to  be  more  particular: 

1st,  It  was  foretold  that  "Ae  should  be  of  the  seed  of  Abra- 
ham;''^ that  ''^  he  should  spring  from  the  royal  family  of  David.'''' 
In  the  Scriptures  we  are  informed  that  "  he  was  made  of  the  seed 
pf  Abraham,''''  according  to  the  flesh,  and  that  he  "  was  bor^i  of 
f/ie  house  and  lineage  of  David.''''  St.  Matthew  gives  us  the 
genealogy  of  his  supposed  father,  descending  from  Solomon  the 
ion  of  David;  and  Luke  gives  us  that  of  his  mother,  from  Na- 
than the  son  of  David. 

1  2d.  It  was  foretold  by  Micah,  that  "  Bethlehem  in  the  land  of 
yfudea  should  be  the  place  of  his  birth f^  and  the  Evangelists  in- 
form us  that  he  was  born  there. 

I  3d.  It  was  foretold  that  the  time  of  his  appearance  in  the 
kvorld  would  be  when  the  sceptre  departed  from  Judah,  that  is, 
when  the  family  of  Judah  should  finally  lose  the  goverment  or 
civil  power  over  the  Jews;  and  just  at  this  period  he  did  come. 
Though  the  Jews  had  been  conquered  many  ages  before  by  the 
Chaldeans,  and  afterwards  were  subjected  to  the  Persians,  to  the 
Greeks  and  Romans,  yet  they  permitted  them  to  be  governed  by 
a  chief  magistrate  of  their  own  nation,  and  he  was  of  the  tribe 
of  Judah  and  of  the  family  of  David,  till  just  before  the  incarna- 
tion of  Christ,  when  Herod,  an  Idumean,  was  made  king,  or 
viceroy  of  Judea. 

4th.  It  was  foretold  that  "  he  should  be  despised,  and  rejected 
of  men^''  that  he  should  "  be  a  man  of  sorrows,  and  acquainted 
with  grief''  The  Evangelists  inform  us  that  he  was  despised, 
reproached  and  persecuted,  from  the  cradle  to  the  grave. — 
When  he  was  but  a  few  days  old,  Herod  thirsted  for  his  blood, 
and  inhumanly  butchered  all  the  infants  of  Bethlehem,  in  hopes 
of  depriving  him  of  his  life.  His  character  was  maliciously 
slandered  by  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  because  they  could  not 
bear  his  pointed  reproofs,  and  plain,  soul-searching  doctrine; 
they  termed  him  a  drunkard,  a  devil,  and  a  winebibber,  and 
attributed  all  his  miralces  to  a  diabolical  agency.  His  own 
countrymen  according  to  the  flesh,  laid  every  possible  snare  to 
entangle  him,  and  at  last  they  inhumanly  put  him  to  the  most 
painful  and  ignominious  death. 

5th.  His  sufferings  and  death  were  foretold  by  the  prophet 
Isaiah,  '•'•he  was  wounded  far  our  trangressions  and.  bruised  for  our 


OF    THE    CHRISTIAN    RELIGION. 


iniquities.  The  chastisement  of  ou7' peace  was  upon  him,'^  The 
prophet  Daniel  fortold  that  "  in  seventy  weeks  from  the  gohig 
forth  of  the  commandment  to  restore  and  build  Jerusalem,  the 
Messiah  should  be  jjut  to  death  f  and  according  to  calculations 
of  the  most  exact  chronologers,  this  prediction  was  fulfilled 
precisely  at  the  time  foretold.  Many  of  the  most  minute  cir- 
cumstances of  his  sufferings  were  predicted  by  the  prophets;  saith 
Isaiah:  "iZe  loas  oppressed  and  he  was  afflicted,  yet  he  opened  not 
his  mouth;  he  is  brought  as  a  lamb  to  the  slaughter,  and  as  a 
sheep  before  her  shearers  is  dumb,  so  he  openeth  not  his  mouth.'^ 
David  foretold  ^Hhat  his  hand  and  foot  should  be  pained  and 
pierced;  that  they  would  mock  his  thirst  with  gall  and  vinegar; 
that  they  would  cast  lots  for  his  vestui'e:  and  yet  not  a  bone  of  him 
would  be  broken.^''  An  examination  of  the  history  of  his  last  suf- 
ferings will  show,  that  these  circumstances  were  minutely  ac- 
complished. Isaiah  foretold  that  he  wpuld  make  '•''his  grave  with 
the  wicked  and  with  the  7'ich  in  his  deaths;''''  and  the  sacred  historian 
informs  us  that  he  was  crucified  between  two  thieves,  and  was 
buried  by  Joseph  of  Arimathea,  an  honorable  counsellor,  in  a 
new  tomb  he  designed  for  himself. 

II.  This  Jesus,  who  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners,_is  a 
divine  Saviour,  sent  of  God  for  that  very  purpose.  This  is  evi- 
dent from  the  miracles  he  performed:  he  healed  the  sick;  he  cast 
out  devils;  he  opened  the  eyes  of  the  blind;  he  raised  the  dead; he 
fed  five  thousand  persons  upon  five  loaves  and  two  fishes;  he 
walked  upon  the  waves  of  the  sea;  he  commanded  the  winds 
and  storms  and  they  obeyed  him.  The  design  ot  these  mira- 
cles was  to  prove  that  he  was  the  Saviour  of  the  world,  that 
he  came  upon  a  divine  mission,  and  that  his  Gospel  is  a  revelation 
from  heaven;  hence  he  says  to  the  unbelieving  Jews:" T/iejfJor^j 
that  I  do  in  my  Father' s  name,  they  bear  witness  of  ine;  if  I  do 
not  the  icorks  of  my  Father,  believe  me  not.'''' 

But,  says  the  Deist,  it  is  easy  to  account  for  these  miracles; 
Jesus  wrought  them  by  what  is  called  sleight  of  hand,  by  an  im- 
position on  the  senses  of  mankind,  therefore  they  were  not  mira- 
cles. I  answered,  this  is  a  most  unfair  and  unjust  assertion.  If  we 
consider  the  nature  of  all  the  miracles  upon  record  that  Jesus 
wrought,  it  is  impossible  in  the  very  nature  of  things,  that  there 
could  be  any  imposition  in  the  case;  they  were  wrought  openly, 
and  in  the  presence  of  thousands  of  spectators;  in  the  presence  of 
his  most  malignant  enemies,  who  viewed  every  part  of  his  con- 
duct with  the  most  critical  eye.  Again, certain  circumstances  at- 
tending the  subjects  of  his  miracles,  rendered  all  deception  im- 
possible. On  the  Sabbath  day,  and  in  the  Jewish  synagogue,  he 
publicly  cured  a  woman  of  a  distressing  infirmity  under  which 
she  had  laboured  for  eighteen  years,  and  by  which  she  was 
bowed  together.     Could  there  be  any  sleight  of  hand  or  decep- 


10  ON    THE    WVINK    AUTHORITY 

tion  here  ?  Did  not  this  woman's  family,  her  relations,  neigh- 
bors, and  acquaintances,  all  know  that  during  this  long  period 
she  had  been  affected  by  this  disease,  that  she  had  suffered  much 
and  was  bowed  together?  When  she  was  publicly  healed  before 
a  large  congregation,  when  they  saw  her  relieved  from  her  com- 
plaint, her  body  straightened  and  restored  to  its  proper  attitude 
could  there  be  a  deception? 

But  again,  suppc^e  a  child  was  born  in  Henderson  County, 
stone  blind,  and  lived  till  he  was  twenty  or  twenty-five  years  of 
age  totally  destitute  of  sight,  would  not  his  parents,  his  relations, 
and  ail  the  neighborhood  know  that  he  was  blind?  and  if,  at  the 
agfe  of  twenty  or  twenty-five,  some  extraordinary  person  would 
anoint  his  eyes  with  clay,  and  tell  him  to  wash  in  a  certain  pool 
and  he  should  see,  and  upon  obeying  these  directions,  his  eyes 
were  opened  so  that  he  could  clearly  discern  every  visible  ob- 
ject; could  this  be  a  deception?  The  same  illustration  might  be 
given  of  the  case  of  the  Jame  man,  who  was  healed  by  Jesus 
Christ  at  the  pool  of  Bethesda:  of  his  raising  Lazarus  from  the 
dead,  after  he  had  been  in  a  state  of  putrefaction.  But  even  the 
most  malignant  of  his  enemies  who  were  eye  witnesses  of  his 
miracles,  never  disputed  their  reality;  but  in  order  to  evade  the 
force  of  their  evidence,  they  reproached  him  for  working  them 
on  the  Sabbath  day,  and  ascribed  the  power  of  working  them 
to  Beelzebub.  When  he  raised  Lazarus  from  the  dead,  the  Phar- 
isees did  not  question  the  reality  of  the  miracle;  for  say  they, 
"//'  ive  let  this  man  alone,  all  men  will  believe  on  him,  and  the 
Romans  will  take  away  our  place  and  nation.'''' 

But,  says  the  Deist,  I  do  not  believe  he  ever  wrought  one  of 
these  miracles;!  think  the  history  tha,t  records  them  is  a  decep- 
tion. I  ansv/er,  the  history  that  records  them  is  genuine — it  is 
impossible  far  it  to  bean  imposition  upon  the  world;  for  the  his- 
tory that  records  these  miracles  was  written  by  the  Evangelists, 
who  were  eye  witnesses  of  the  facts.  As  these  historians  state 
that  the  miracles  were  wrought  publicly,  and  in  the  presence 
of  vast  multitudes  of  spectators,  if  such  miracles  had  never  been 
performed,  the  populace  at  large  would  have  resisted  such  a  glar- 
ing falsehood  with  contempt,  and  the  Jews  and  Pagans,  who 
were  inveterate  enemies  of  Christianity,  would  have  detected 
and  exposed  the  falsehood:  and,  doubtless,  this  would  have  put  a 
final  check  to  the  progress  of  Christianity. 

But  the  objector  replies:  Perhaps  the  writings  ascribed  to 
Matthew,  Mark,  Luke  and  John,  were  written  many  ages  after 
their  deaths,  and  their  names  were  falsely  affixed  to  them. — 
This  never  has  been,  nor  can  be  proven;  but  the  contrary  can 
be  easily  proven.  But  admitting  it  to  be  true,  it  would  just  be  as 
mipossiblc,  then,  to  impose  upon  the  world.  The  matter  vi"ould 
then  have  appeared  such  a   barefaced  falsehood  that  it  would 


OK    THE    CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  1  1 

have  been  immediately  rejected;  for  every  person  of  reason  and 
consideration,  would  at  once  have  recollected  that  such  astonish- 
ing events  had  never  been  heard  of  before.  The  question  would 
be  asked,  how  did  it  come  to  pass  that  persons  who  lived  in  those 
times,  did  not  record  such  extraordinaiy  events? — For  example, 
we  will  suppose  that  a  person,  at  the  present  time,  would  write  a 
history  of  the  late  revolutionary  war;  that  in  this  history  he 
vvould  assert  that  General  Washmgton,in  the  year  17 — ,  marched 
his  army  across  the  Delavv'are,  on  the  surface  of  the  water,  in  a 
miraculous  manner,  without  bridge,  boat,  or  any  other  medium 
of  passage;  would  not  every  officer  and  soldier  now  living,  who 
had  fought  under  Washington's  command,  detect  the  falsehood 
and  reject  it  with  disdain?  Would  it  not  be  impossible  to  im- 
pose such  a  falsehood  upon  the  present  age? 

But  suppose  that  such  a  history,  stating  such  a  circumstance, 
should  appear  one  hundred  years  hereafter;  would  it  not  be  as 
impossible  to  impose  such  a  falsehood  upon  the  public  then,  as  it 
would  be  at  the  present  time  ?  For  every  man  in  his  senses 
would  at  once  inquire  how  it  came  to  pass,  that  such  an  ex- 
traordinary circumstance  was  never  heard  of  before,  and  how 
it  could  have  been  omitted  by  the  historians  who  lived  at  the  time 
when  such  an  event  is  represented  to  have  transpired?  It  is 
contrary  to  reason  and  common  sense  that  falsehoods  of  such 
magnitude  could  be  imposed  upon  the  world,  and  be  believed  and 
received  us  unquestionable  truths,  from  age  to  age.  Therefore, 
as  the  miracles  attributed  to  Jesus  Christ  were  wrought  openly, 
before  vast  multitudes  of  spectators  and  many  of  them  his  malici- 
ous enemies,  as  these  miracles  were  of  such  a  nature  as  to  admit 
of  no  deception  or  imposition  upon  the  senses  of  mankind,  and 
as  they  were  recorded  by  men  who  were  eye-witnesses  of  the 
facts,  and  as  the  Jews  and  Pagans,  their  contemporaries,  never 
presumed  to  deny  that  such  miracles  were  wrought,  we  assert, 
UPON  UNQUESTIONABLE  EVIDENCE,  that  such  miraclcs  were  wrought 
by  Jesus  Christ,  and  consequently,  they  are  an  incontrovertible 
proof  of  his  divine  mission,  and  of  the  absolute  certainty  of 
divine  revelation. 

III.  Jesus  Christ  is  a  Divine  Saviour,  sent  of  God  to  redeem 
lost  sinners.  This  will  appear  if  we  consider  the  immaculate 
holiness  and  spotless  purity  of  his  life  and  doctrine.  Thomas 
Paine  asks  the  question:  "What  reason  have  I  to  believe  in 
Jesus  speaking  in  the  Gospel,  more  than  I  have  to  believe  in  Ma- 
homet speaking  in  the  Alcoran?  Both  of  them  pretend  to  have  a 
divine  commission." — A  great  many  reasons  might  be  assigned; 
but  here  is  one  at  hand:  Mahomet  came  like  a  murderer;  he 
propagated  his  doctrines  by  the  sword,  and  spread  bloodshed 
and  slaughter  wherever  he  went.  But  Jesus  came  upon  the 
most  kind,  gracious  and  benevolent  errand,     "/fe  came  to  seek 


12  ON    THE    DIVINE    AUTHORITY 

and  to  save  the?n  that  were  lost.-'  He  came  to  save  sinners,  even 
the  chief  of  them.  When  his  disciples,  through  human  weak- 
ness and  infirmity,  pray  him  to  bring  fire  from  heaven  to  destroy 
his  mahcious  persecutors,  he  severely  rebuked  them,  and  told  them 
that  "Ae  carne  not  to  destroy  men's  lives,  but  to  save  them.''  Search 
the  history  of  all  ages  and  generations  of  the  world,  and  you  will 
not  find  so  amiable  a  character,  a  person  of  such  untainted  holiness 
and  purity,  nor  such  an  example  of  piety  and  virtue.  His  whole 
life  was  spent  in  acts  of  benevolence — healing  the  sick,  relieving 
the  distressed,  giving  speech  to  the  dumb,  hearing  to  the  deaf,  and 
opening  the  eyes  of  the  blind;  teaching  men,  both  by  example 
and  precept,  their  duty  to  God  and  to  each  other. 

His  object  was  not  the  applause  of  men;  for  when  he  perform- 
ed the  most  gracious  and  miraculous  cures  on  the  diseased,  he 
charged  them  to  tell  no  man  what  he  had  done.  When  he  was 
reviled  he  reviled  not  again.  He  pited  and  wept  over  his  most 
malicious  enemies.  He  prayed  for  the  forgiveness  of  his  blood- 
thirsty persecutors,  even  when  they  were  mocking  at  his  agonies, 
and  sporting  with  his  dying  groans.  Read  the  history  of  his  life, 
as  recorded  by  the  evangelists,  and  his  character  appears  with- 
out the  smallest  stain;  indeed,  even  the  most  inveterate  enemies 
of  Christianity  acknowledge,  that  he  was  a  person  of  the  most 
unblemished  piety  and  virtue.  Porphyry,  though  a  malicious 
infidel,  speaks  of  him  as  a  man  of  the  most  extraordinary  wisdom, 
approved  of  by  the  gods,  and  taken  up  to  heaven  for  his  virtue. 
Severus,  the  Roman  Emperor,  was  so  enamoured  both  with  the 
excellency  of  his  character  and  with  the  purity  of  his  life,  that 
he  would  have  adopted  him  into  the  number  of  his  gods,  and 
would  have  built  him  a  temple,  had  not  the  opposition  of  his  pagan 
subjects  prevented  it.  And  every  sensible  Deist  of  the  present 
day,  speaks  of  him  as  the  most  upright,  virtuous  man  that  ever 
lived.  Look  at  his  doctrine  in  its  purity  and  spirituality,  and  in 
its  nature  and  tendency,  and  every  candid  Deist  must  acknow- 
ledge that  it  becomes  a  God,  and  is  calculated  to  promote  the 
happiness  of  mankind. 

When  treating  on  our  duty  to  God,  he  tells  us  that  the  divine 
law  requires  us  "fo  love  the  Lord  our  God  with  all  our  heart,  soul, 
mind  and  strength."  And  can  any  thing  be  more  fit  and  proper 
in  the  very  reason  and  nature  of  things,  than  to  love  infinite  ex- 
cellence, beauty  and  perfection  ?  What  can  be  more  proper  than 
that  we  love  our  creator,  preserver  and  benefactor,  who  is  the 
very  essence  of  all  loveliness? 

When  he  teaches  the  nature  of  our  worship  and  obedience  to 
God,  he  requires  the  most  genuine,  unfeigned  sincerity  of  heart. 
^^Not  every  one  that  says  unto  me,  '■Lord,  Lord,'  shall  enter  into  the 
kingdom  of  heaven,  hut  they  that  do  the  will  of  my  father  who  is  in 
heaven."     He  every  where  tells  us  that  the  reality  of  our  love  to 


OF    THE    CHRISTIAN    RKLIGIOX.  13 

God,  and  the  sincerity  of  our  profession,  must  be  evinced  by  a 
life  of  holiness  and  virtue.  "Fe  are  my  friends  if  ye  do  whatso- 
ever I  command,  xjoxi,''''  ''''If  ye  love  me,  keep  my  cojnmandments.'''' 
^^Lct  your  light  shine  before  men,  that  others,  steing  your  good 
works,  may  glorify  your  father  loho  is  in  heaven.''''  And  again, 
"^e  ye  perfect,  as  your  father  who  is  in  heaven  is  perfect.'"' 

When  he  teaches  our  duty  to  man,  he  commands  us  "  to  do 
unto  all  men  as  we  would  that  they  should  do  unto  us.'''  ''^Render 
unto  every  man  his  due.''''  ^'Love  your  enemies:  bless  them  that 
curse  you;  pray  for  them  that  despitefully  use  you  and  persecute 
you.''''  Examine  his  doctrine  as  it  is  illustrated  in  his  sermon  on 
the  mount,  and  the  parable  of  the  good  Samaritan;  view  all  his  doc- 
trines and  precepts  in  their  nature  and  tendency,  and  reason  and 
the  light  of  nature  must  confess,  that  he  was  a  teachei-  sent  from  God. 

IV.  The  efficacy  of  the  gospel  on  the  lives  and  conduct  of 
men,  is  an  incontestable  proof  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  and  that 
his  gospel  IS  a  revelation  from  heaven.  When  we  consider  the 
apparent  insufficiency  of  the  means,  and  the  astonishing  eflects 
produced  by  them,  every  candid  mind  must  acknowledge  that 
nothing  less  than  the  power  of  God,  by  such  means,  could 
have  produced  such  effects.  For  twelve  illiterate  men  to  pro- 
claim to  the  world  that  a  man,  who  died  upon  a  cross  at  Jerusalem, 
was  the  son  of  God  and  the  Saviour  of  the  world — for  these  men 
to  go  on,  in  opposition  to  the  wisdom,  superstition,  pride  and 
prejudices  of  mankind,  persuading  them  to  forsake  the  religion 
of  their  fathers,  and  the  imaginary  gods  of  their  ancestors,  to 
deny  themselves  of  all  their  beloved  vices,  to  forsake  the  love  and 
practice  of  every  sin;  to  do  all  this  at  the  risk  of  suffering  re- 
proach, persecution,  and  death  in  its  most  tremendous  forms, 
with  no  other  means  of  compulsion  than  the  force  of  argument, 
no  other  encouragement  but  the  hopes  of  happiness  after  death ; 
a  blessedness  of  which  mankind  were  ignorant  ; — this,  the 
apostle  Paul  tells  us,  was  a  ^'stumbling  block  to  the  Jews,  and  to 
the  learned  Greeks  foolishness  f  while  "?Y  was  theioisdom  of  God 
to  them  that  believed.''''  What  was  the  effect?  The  conversion  and 
salvation  of  many  millions.  Under  one  sermon,  on  the  day  of 
Pentecost,  three  thousand  souls  were  converted.  In  a  few  days 
we  find  the  number  of  Christians  increased  to  five  thousand,  and 
in  a  few  years  the  power  of  the  gospel  overspread  Egypt,  Syria, 
and  Arabia.  It  went  like  a  rapid  flame  over  all  the  countries 
bordering  on  the  Mediterranean,  as  far  as  Greece  and  Italy,  and 
in  a  very  short  time  it  overspread  Europe  and  Asia,  and  ex- 
tended even  to  the  distant  parts  of  the  then  known  world. — 
Tacitus  asserts,  that  in  the  reign  of  Nero,  about  twenty  years 
after  the  death  of  Christ,  there  were  multitudes  of  Christians  at 
Rome  against  whom  the  Emperor  raised  a  persecution,  attended 
with  such  circumstances  of  ignominy  and  cruelty,  as  raised  the 


14  ON    THE    DIVINK    AUTHORITY 

compassion  even  of  their  enemies.  Pliny  writes  to  the  emperor 
Trajan,  that  many  persons  of  both  sexes,  and  of  every  age  and 
r^nk,  were  infected  with  this  superstition, as  he  calls  it;  that  it  had 
got  into  the  villages  as  well  as  the  cities;  that  the  temples  of  the 
heathen  deities  were  almost  deserted,  and  hardly  any  could  be 
found  who  would  buy  victims  for  them.  Again,  when  we  con- 
sider that  it  not  only  overspread  the  world  with  an  irresistible 
power,  but  at  the  same  time  triumphed  over  every  public  opposi- 
tion, and  the  most  cruel  and  bloody  persecutions  that  the  com- 
bined powers  of  earth  and  hell  could  possibly  exert,  every  candid, 
reflecting  mind  must  acknowledge  that  God  was  its  author,  and 
that  it  is  revelation  from  heaven.  The  idolatrous  superstitions  of 
the  pagan  world,  which  had  prevailed  for  many  centuries,  stood  in 
direct  opposition  to  it — the,  civil  power  exerted  itself  for  its  de- 
struction— the  Roman  empire  for  ages  strained  every  nerve  for 
its  extermination — death  in  its  most  tremendous  forms  was  re- 
sorted to;  but  the  more  the  Christians  were  persecuted,  tortured 
aifd  butchered,  the  more  their  numbers  increased,  till  their  per- 
secutors were  constrained  to  confess,  that  the  blood  of  the 
martyrs  was  the  seed  of  the  church.  What  an  unquestionable 
accomplishment  of  Christ's  prediction,  '•'•That  its  beginning  was 
like  a  grain  of  mustard- seed,  the  least  of  all  seeds,  yet  became  a 
mighty  tree,  and  extended  its  branches  over  the  ivhole  earth." 

V.  But,  lastly,  Jesus  Christ  is  a  Saviour  sent  from  God,  and 
his  gospel  is  a  revelation  from  heaven.  This  is  evident  to  all  true 
Christians,  w^ho  have  experienced  the  power  and  efficacy  of  his 
pardoning  and  peace-speaking  blood.  They  have  a  knowledge 
of  him  of  which  the  wisest  philosopher,  and  the  most  accomplish- 
ed scholar  is  ignorant,  while  in  an  unregenerate  state ;  for  they 
have  seen  his  glory  by  the  eye  of  faith;  they  have  felt  the  wit- 
ness of  a  sealed  pardon  through  his  merits;  they  have  peace 
with  God,  and  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory,  by  faith  in  his 
all-sufficient  satisfaction  to  the  law  and  justice  of  God;  and  God's 
spirit  bears  witness  with  theirs,  that  they  are  interested  in  it. — 
Their  natures  are  changed  from  the  love  of  sin  to  the  love  of  holi- 
ness ;  "o/d  things  are  passed  aioay,  and  all  things  are  become  new.'"' 
They  can  draw  near  to  God  as  to  a  reconciled  father.  They  can 
meet  death  with  undaunted  bravery,  and  rejoice  in  the  prospect 
of  eternal  felicity. 

Ah,  says  the  Deist,  this  is  all  enthusiasm.  I  ask,  what  is  en- 
thusiasm? Enthusiasm  has  neither  Christ  for  its  object,  nor  the 
Bible  for  its  guide.  But  that  joy  and  peace  in  believing,  that  has 
Christ  for  its  object  and  foundation,  the  love  of  God  for  its  guide, 
and  manifests  itself  by  love  to  God  and  man,  and  by  a  universal 
obedience  to  all  the  commands  of  God,  is  not  enthusiasm:  it  is  a 
divine  reality.  With  such  a  religion  as  this,  the  Christian  can  be 
certain  of  his  interest  in  the  love  and  favor  of  his  God,  and  of 


OK    THJl    christian    RELIGION.  16 

eternal  happiness  after  death;  and,  therefore,  he  possesses  such 
unerring  testimony  of  the  divinity  of  Christ,  and  of  the  certainty 
of  divine  revelation,  that  it  is  impossible  to  shake  his  belief  or 
move  his  confidence. 

But  what  is  the  import  of  the  soul-reviving  declaration,  "JJe, 
came  into  the  icorld  to  save  sinners?'''  From  what  does  he  save 
them? 

1st.  He  saves  them  from  the  curse  and  condemning  sentence 
of  God's  righteous  law:  and  what  a  salvation  is  this!  Created 
wisdom  and  eloquence  cannot  describe  it.  Angels  desire  to 
look  into  it.  Jesus,  the  brightness  of  the  Father's  glory — he 
that  was  in  the  form  of  God — the  Eternal  Word,  came  into 
the  world  to  save  sinners;  "//e  ivas  rnade  fleshy  became  of  no  repu- 
tation^^ and  stood  in  the  sinner's  law  room  and  place.  He  en- 
dured in  his  own  soul  and  body  what  was  equivalent  to  all  the 
pains  of  hell,  and  he  paid  down  to  the  justice  of  God  the  whole 
infinite  sum  of  the  elect's  ransom.  In  a  word,  by  his  holy  life, 
bloody  sufierings,  and  painful  death,  he  has  wrought  out  an  all-suf- 
ficieiit  salvation  for  the  chief  of  sinners,  the  worst  of  men  and 
women. 

Again,  he  saves  sinners  from  the  very  being  of  sin ;  from  its 
dominion  and  enslaving  power,  and  from  all  its  malignant  con- 
sequences. The  angel  told  his  supposed  father,  before  his  birth, 
that,  "/ie  shpuld  be  called  Jesus,  because  he  should  save  his  people 
from  their  sins.'''  The  prophet  Daniel  tells  us,  Hhat  the  Messiah 
should  be  cut  ojf]  but  not  for  himself;'^  Hhat  he  should  finish 
transgression,  make  an  end  of  sin,  and  bring  in  everlasting 
righteousness.''''  He  saves  both  by  price  and  power.  He  paid  the 
price  of  their  ransom  to  the  justice  of  God,  in  scarlet  streams  of 
divine  blood,  that  flovv^ed  from  his  breaking  heart  till  a  holy  God 
declared  himself  well  satisfied  for  his  righteousness'  sake.  He 
saves  them  by  power,  for  he  plucks  them  as  brands  from  the 
burning, in  the  day  of  their  conversion  to  God;  he  snatches  them, 
out  of  the  jaws  of  the  roaring  Lion  of  hell.  By  the  influences  of 
his  spirit,  and  by  his  word  and  ordinances,  and  by  the  dispensa- 
tions of  his  providence,  he  purges  them  from  sin;  he  sanctifies 
and  prepares  them  as  vessels  of  mercy,  to  be  filled  and  overflow 
with  eternal  and  indescribable  glory,  in  the  blissful  regions  of  the 
of  the  heavenly  paradise. 

He  saves  them  from  the  power  of  the  Devil,  from  the  sting  and 
curse  of  death  and  the  grave,  and  from  the  last  and  least  remains 
of  sin.  This  great  salvation  contains  in  it,  not  only  a  com- 
plete deliverance  from  sin  and  hell,  but  an  exaltation  to  the 
highest  heaven.  It  contains  sealed  pardon  and  peace  with 
God — joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost — the  witness  of  the  spirit — and  a 
sense  of  Jehovah's  love  shed  abroad  in  the  heart.  It  contains 
eternal  life,  and  the  most  exalted  blessedness  in  the  immediate 


16  ON  THE  DIVINE  AUTHORITY   OF  THE  CHRISTIAN   KELIGION. 

presence  and  full  fruition  of  an  infinite  God.  It  contains  an 
^Hnheriiance  incorruptihle^  nndejiled^  and  thatfadeth  not  away; 
joys  that  eye  hath  not  seen  nor  ear  heard^  neither  hath  it  entered 
into  the  heart  of  man  to  conceive,''^ 

How  precious,  then,  is  Jesus  to  them  that  belieA^e.  When  a 
pardoned  sinner  beholds  the  glory,  beauty  and  preciousness  of 
Jesus,  does  not  this  sight  communicate  the  very  foretaste  of 
heaven — 

"While  sweetly,  humbly  he  beholds  at  length, 
Christ  as  his  only  righteousness  and  strength?" 

How  do  you  suppose  the  dying  thief,  who  was  crucified  by  his 
side,  felt  when  Jesus  said  to  him:  "TAz5  day  thou  shalt  be  with 
me  in  paradise?''"'  How  do  you  think  that  poor  blood-thirsty 
murderer,  who  pierced  his  side  with  his  spear,  felt  when  the  rich 
tide  of  blood  and  water  which  burst  from  his  heart,  washed  hyn 
whiter  than  the  snow?  For  it  appears  evident  to  me,  that  he 
was  converted  and  saved,  as  this  is  the  literal  fulfillment  of 
Zachariah's  prophecy:  ^^They  shall  look  upon  me  whom^  they 
have  pierced^  and  mourn^''  S^c. 


SERMON    II. 


THE  LORD  JESUS  CHRIST  A  MIGHTY  CONQUEROR. 


Who  is  this  that  cometh  from  Edom.  with  dyed  garments  from 
Bozrah?  this  that  is  glorious  in  his  apparel,  travelling  in  the 
greatness  of  his  strength?  I  that  speak  in  righteousness^ 
mighty  to  save. — Isaiah  Ixiii.  1. 


The  promise  which  the  Eternal  Father  made  to  the  Son  in  the 
covenant  of  redemption,  was,  that  "As  should  have  a  numerous 
seed;''^  that  '•  Ae  should  see  the  travail  of  his  soul  and  be  satisfied;''' 
thaf'Ae  should  have  a  name  above  every  najnef  that  '•^everyknee 
in  heaven,  earth  and  hell  should  bow  to  A?Vn." 

When  we  consider  the  infinite  glory  and  dignity  of  his  person; 
when  we  view  the  triumphant  victories  of  his  cross,  and  the 
greatness,  the  glory,  the  fulness  and  sufficiency  of  that  salvation 
which  he  has  wrought  out  by  his  bloody  sufferings  and  dying  ago- 
nies, we  must  acknowledge  that  the  united  wisdom  of  angels,  arch- 
angels, and  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect,  cannot  express  the 
ten-thousandth  part  of  his  glory.  Join  all  the  glorious  names 
of  wisdom,  love  and  power,  that  mortals  ever  knew,  or  angels 
ever  bore — all  are  too  mean  to  speak  his  truth,  or  to  set  forth  his 
glory. 

All  nature  has  been  racked  to  produce  metaphors.  Figures  the 
most  bold  and  significant  that  the  material  world  can  afford,  have 
been  brought  forward  to  illustrate  the  inexpressible  glories  of 
Immanuel ;  and  when  all  is  don?,  we  must  say,  a  greater  than 
Solomon  is  here;  we  must  confess,  with  the  Queen  of  Sheba  that 
the  half  cannot  be  told. 

In  our  text  he  is  represented  as  a  mighty  conqueror,  returning 
from  the  field  of  battle  with  garments  rolled  in  blood,  carrying 
in  triumph  the  trophijss  of  final  victory.  "TFAo  is  this  that 
cometh  from.  Edom,  with  dyed  gar7nents  fi'om  Bozrah?  this  that  is 
glorious  in  his  apparel,  travelli7ig  in  the  greatness,  of  his  strength  ? 
I  tmt  speak  in  righteousness,  mighty  to  save.''''     It  was  a  practice 

5 


r 


18  THE    LORD    JESUS    CHRIST 

among  the  eastern  nations,  when  a  commander  returned  victori- 
ous from  final  conquest,  he  entered  the  metropolis  of  his  own 
country  in  triumph.  Hundreds  and  thousands  crowded  from 
every  part  to  see  the  amazing  exhibition.  The  conqueror  was 
initiated  with  the  highest  possible  pomp  and  grandeur,  his  at- 
tendants bearing  the  rich  trophies  of  his  victories — the  arms, 
standards,  and  valuable  prizes  he  had  taken  from  the  enemy ;  the 
nobility,  princes,  and  commanders  of  the  conquered  led  in 
chains,  or  bound  to  his  chariot  wheels.  To  this  custom  it  is 
evident  the  prophet  alludes  when  he  introduces  the  almighty, 
all-conquering  Jesus,  coming  from  Edom,  in  triumph  from  Boz- 
rah,  with  garments  dipped  in  blood,  glorious  in  his  apparel,  trav- 
elling in  the  greatness  of  his  strength. 

Edom  was  that  part  of  Arabia  which  lay  adjacent  to  Judea. 
It  was  inhabited  by  the  descendants  of  Esau,  who  in  every  age 
and  generation  were  inveterate  enemies  to  the  church  and  peo- 
ple of  God.  Therefore  Edom  is  here  taken  metaphorically  for 
the  principalities  and  powers  of  hell,  the  spiritual  dominion  of 
the  Devil.  Bozrah  was  the  metropolis  of  Edom,  therefore  when 
the  Almighty  takes  his  departure  from  Bozrah,  it  expresses  com- 
plete victory  and  final  conquest. 

When  a  general  carries  his  arms  into  an  enemy's  country,  he 
commonly  destroys  the  military  force,  the  very  vitals  of  the 
enemy.  When  he  takes  the  metropolis,  every  other  post  must 
fall  an  easy  prey.  Therefore,  coming  in  triumph  from  Bozrah, 
doubtless,  signifies  the  glorious  victory  of  Calvary.  It  was 
there  that  the  all-conquering  Jesus  subdued  the  powers  of 
Hell,  bruised  the  serpent's  head,  and  gave  the  fatal  blow  to  the 
vitals  of  the  Devil's  power.  By  this  decisive  victory  the  way 
was  prepared  for  all  the  glorious  conquests  which  he  shall  ob- 
tain, until  all  things  are  put  under  his  feet,  until  every  knee  shall 
bow,  and  ever}' tongue  confess  Jiis  name  in  heaven  and  earth. 

He  is  represented  as  coming  from  Bozrah  with  dyed  garments. 
He  bears  the  marks  of  a  triumphant  conqueror,  for  he  is  clothed 
in  a  vesture  dipped  in  blood.  In  the  following  verse  he  says,  / 
have  trodden  the  wine  'press  alone;  and  of  the  people  there  was 
none  icith  me:  for  I  will  tread  them  in  mine  anger,  and  trample 
them  inmy  furii;  and  their  blood  shall  he  sprinkled  upon  my  gar- 
7}ie7iis,  and  I  will  stain  all  my  rim.ment.'''' 

The  prophet  also  describes  him  as  ^'glorious  in  his  appareV 
Although  he  entered  the  bloody  field  in  disguise,  in  the  likeness 
of  sinful  flesh,  in  the  form  of  a  servant,  a  man  of  sorrows  and  ac- 
quainted with  grief,  despised  and  rejected  by  the  people;  as  the 
Psalmist  expresses  it,  "a  worm,  and  no  ?nan;^^  yet  now  he  appears 
in  all  the  pomp  and  grandeur  of  the  Godhfead;  he  comes  ofi'  victo- 
rious; he  is  ^'glorious  in.  his  appdrel^''  dressed  in  all  the  brilliant 
robes  of  Deity,  clothed  in  all  the  essential  glories,  perfections 


A    MIGHTY    CONQUEROR.  19 

and  attributes  of  the  Godhead.  Thus  he  is  described  by  St. 
John,  in  the  Revelation.  And  I  saw  "m  the  midst  of  the  seven 
candlesticks  one  like  unto  the  son  of  man,  clotlied  with  a  garment 
down  to  the  foot,  and  girt  about  the  paps  roith  a  golden  girdle.  His 
head  and  his  hairs  were  white  like  wool,  as  white  as  snow;  and  his 
eyes  were  as  aflame  of  fire,  and  his  feet  like  unto  fine  brass,  as  if 
they  burned  in  a  furnace,  and  his  voice  as  the  sound  of  many  waters. 
And  he  had  in  his  right  hand  seven  stars;  and  out  of  his  mouth  went  a 
sharp  two  edged  sword;  and  his  countenance  was  as  the  Sun  shineth 
in  his  strength,'''' 

Again,  he  is  represented  as  'Hravelling  in  the  greatness  of  his 
strength.''''  This  sets  forth  his  omnipotence.  He  is  the  self- 
existent  Sovereign  of  the  universe,  possessed  of  almighty  power. 
He  will  conquer  until  all  things  are  put  under  his  feet.  He 
comes  '■from  Edom,  with  dyed  garments  from  Bozrah,''^  like  a 
mighty  conqueror  travelling  in  the  greatness  of  his  strength,  go- 
ing on  from  conquering  to  conquer,  achieving  one  victory  after 
another,  until  all  his  ransomed  millions  are  rescued  from  the  jaws 
of  the  Devil,  and  put  in  possession  of  the  heavenly  inheritance, 
^'•which  is  incorruptible,  undefled,  and  thatfadeth  not  away.'''' 

We  may  inquire  who  asks  the  question,  "  Who  is  this  that  cometh 
from  Edom,  with  dyed  garments  from  Bozrah?  this  that  is  glorious 
in  his  apparel,  travelling  in  the  greatness  of  his  strength  /"'  I  an- 
swer, that  it  is  the  church,  or  the  prophet  in  the  name  of  the 
church;  or  every  pardoned  sinner,  who,  by  the  eye  of  faith,  be- 
holds his  glory  and  the  infinite  beauty  and  loveliness  of  his  per- 
son. The  happy  soul  who  views  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of 
Jesus,  who  sees  his  almighty  sufficiency  and  willingness  to  save, 
who  contemplates  all  the  attributes  and  perfections  of  the  divine 
nature,  all  the  infinite  glory  and  beauty  of  the  Godhead  mani- 
fested in  the  triumphant  victories  he  has  gained  over  sin,  death 
and  hell ;  he  is  so  filled  with  praise,  gratitude  and  love,  so  lost  in 
wonder  and  adoration,  that  he  is  ready  to  cry  out  with  the 
prophet, "  Who  is  this  that  cometh  from  Edom  with  dyed  garments  ?" 
Oh,  what  an  infinite  beauty  I  see  in  him !  What  a  glory !  Oh, 
how  fair!  how  sweet!  how  precious!  how  lovely!  What  a 
Christ!     What  a  salvation! 

Who  can  describe  his  worth,  his  glory  or  his  grace,  equal  to 
the  views  of  the  soul  thus  lost  in  wonder?  The  tongue  of  an 
arch-angel  falters,  Gabriel  sinks  beneath  the  weighty  task.  And, 
■  therefore,  the  prophet  represents  the  almighty  conqueror  resolv- 
ing the  question.  "TAe  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah  alone  is  worthy 
to  take  the  book  and  loose  the  seals.^^  He  answers  the  question  in 
a  style  expressive  of  the  complete  sufficiency  of  that  salvation 
which  he  procured — expressive  of  his  almighty  power  to  save  to 
the  uttermost  the  poor,  guilty,  wretched  sinner.  "I  that  speak 
IN  RIGHTEOUSNESS,  MIGHTY  TO  SAVE."     I  present  to  ruined,  naked 


20  THE    LORD    JESUS    CHRIST 

sinners,  a  glorious  robe  of  sanctifying  righteousness;  I  speak  peace 
to  the  troubled  conscience;  I  offer  pardon  and  reconciliation  to 
God;  to  the  soul  of  the  disconsolate  sinner  I  whisper  joy  which  is 
unspeakable  and  full  of  glory.  Therefoi'e,  I  am  mighty  to  save; 
for  my  almighty  arm,  my  omnipotent  grace,  can  extricate  the  sin- 
ner from  the  lowest  abyss  of  misery  and  woe. 

In  the  farther  prosecution  of  this  subject  we  shall, 

I.  Take  a  view  of  the  glorious  conquest  achieved  by  the  death 
and  sufferings  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

II.  Conclude  by  passing  a  few  brief  observations  upon  the 

words  "  MIGHTY    TO    SAVE." 

I.  Take  a  view  of  the  glorious  conquest  achieved  by  the 
death  and  sufferings  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Then  let  us  for 
a  moment  consider  the  state  of  the  world,  at  large,  previous  to 
that  glorious  revolution  effected  by  the  victories  of  the  cross. 

It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  inform  you  how  the  old  Serpent 
deceived  our  first  parents,  and  robbed  them  of  their  native  in- 
nocence; how  Adam  and  all  his  race  became  infected  with  sin, 
as  a  malignant  poison,  and  sunk  into  a  state  of  condemnation. 
All  mankind  revolted  from  their  God — became  the  willing  slaves 
of  the  Devil — partook  of  his  image,  his  temper,  and  disposition 
so  entirely,  that  as  the  Divine  Spirit  expresses  it,  "  every  imu' 
gination  of  the  thoughts  of  his  heart  was  only  evil  continually; 
yea,  he  is  prone  to  do  evil,  as  the  sparks  are  to  Jly  upward.''''  He 
is  filled  with  enmity  to  the  law^s  and  the  government  of  his  Cre- 
ator, and  at  the  same  time  delighted  wdth  the  service,  the  mean 
drudging  and  vassalage  of  the  Devil.  Hence  Satan  became,  by 
his  own  consent,  his  Lord  and  Sovereign.  He  erected  the  world 
into  a  kind  of  universal  empire,  and  held  the  whole  human  race 
under  his  tyrannical  power  and  dominion;  possessed  the  same 
place  in  their  affections  that  God  occupies  in  the  bosoms  of  holy 
and  happy  beings; — and  hence  it  is  that  the  Devil  is  styled 
"  the  prince  of  this  world,  the  ruler  of  the  darkness  of  this  world, 
the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,  the  God  of  this  world,  SfC. — 
Thus  mankind  having  become  the  subjects  of  the  Devil,  were 
righteously  condemned  to  suffer  the  vengeance  of  eternal  fire 
with  him,  as  the  just  reward  of  their  rebellion  against  God. 

Time  would  fail  to  inform  you  of  the  scenes  of  wickedness, 
the  dissipation,  the  debauchery,  the  falsehood,  the  deceit,  the 
injustice  and  bloodshed,  that  have  filled  the  earth  in  every  age 
and  generation  of  the  world;  how  that  the  whole  of  the  habita- 
ble globe,  except  the  small  spot  of  Judea,  was  in  a  state  of  the 
most  horrible  ignorance  of  God;  how  that  the  Devil  was  truly 
their  God,  worshipped  and  obeyed  as  such  by  them;  that  the 
Eternal  Word,  who  was  in  the  beginning  with  God,  and  w^as 
God,  became  flesh  and  dwelt  amongst  us.  He,  who  thought  it 
not  robbery  to  be  equal  with  God,  the  great,  uncreated  I  am, 


A    MIGHTY    CONQUEROR,  21 

took  upon  himself  the  likeness  of  a  servant,  and  made  himself 
of  no  reputation,  that  he  might  destroy  the  works  of  the  Devil, 
and  subdue  the  empire  of  hell,  and  establish  an  everlasting 
kingdom  of  righteousness  in  the  world. 

To  effect  this  glorious  revolution,  two  great  objects  must  be 
accomplished;  jfirst,  he  must  dethrone  the  usurper  and  destroy 
his  kingdom;  secondly,  he  must  redeem  the  guilty  sinner  from 
the  curse  of  the  law  and  the  demands  of  otfended  justice: — 
therefore,  he  must  be  a  Saviour,  both  by  price  and  power. 
Hence  says  the  apostle,  "  This  is  a  faithful  sayings  and  worthy 
of  all  acceptation^  that  Christ  Jesus  came  into  the  world  to  save 
sinners,  of  whom  I  am  chief'' 

But  no  sooner  does  he  make  his  appearance  in  the  world,  than 
all  hell  is  alarmed.  Herod,  like  a  blood-hound^  endeavors  to 
destroy  him,  while  yet  an  infant  only  a  few  days  old.  No 
sooner  does  he  enter  upon  his  public  ministry,  than  the  old 
Serpent  attacks.him  with  his  fiery  temptations,  hoping  to  ensnare 
the  second  Adam  as  he  had  done  the  first.  But  the  Almighty 
Conqueror  is  proof  against  every  assault.  The  tempter  is 
obliged  to  retreat  with  shame  and  disgrace. 

We  might  tell  you  how  he  stirred  up  the  Scribes  and  Phari- 
sees, the  Sadducees,  and  all  the  Jewish  Sanhedrim,  to  persecute 
him,  to  revile  him,  to  slander  his  character;  ascribing  his  God- 
like miracles  to  the  Devil,  endeavoring  to  ensnare  him  in  his 
speech,  and  laying  in  wait  to  murder  him.  But  we  shall  pass 
to  the  bloody  conflict  on  Mount  Calvary,  which  crowned  him 
with  victory.  And  here  let  us  inquire,  what  were  the  suffer- 
ings of  the  Son  of  God?  how  dreadful  his  tortures?  how  excru- 
ciating his  pains?  The  tongue  of  an  arch-angel  cannot  tell, 
nothing  less  than  the  infinite  mind  of  God  can  comprehend 
them.  See  him  in  the  garden  of  Gethsemane,  though  the  band 
of  soldiers  had  not  seized  him;  the  thorns  and  scourges,  the 
nails  and  spear  were  unfelt;  yet  he  had  the  most  perfect  knoM'- 
ledge  of  the  dreadfulness  of  the  wrath  of  an  infinite  God  due  to 
sin.  He  could  comprehend  the  full  extent  of  the  curse  of  the 
divine  law,  which  would  have  crushed  ten  thousand  worlds  of 
angels  to  the  lowest  hell.  Therefore,  under  the  dreadful  ap- 
prehensions of  his  approaching  sufferings,  his  humanity  is  so 
shocked  that  he  is  filled  with  the  most  woeful  consternation. 
Hear  him  crying  out,  "  My  soul  is  exceeding  sorrouful,  even  unto 
death.  Oh,  my  Father!  if  it  be  possible,  let  this  cup  pass  from 
me;  nevertheless,  not  my  will,  but  thine  be  done.''''  Behold  the 
Saviour's  agony,  see  him  falling  upon  the  ground,  the  blood 
gushing  from  every  pore  of  his  body.  If  his  sufferings  were  so 
intolerable  in  anticipation,  how  dreadful  must  they  have  been 
when  all  the  fury  of  heaven,  earth  and  hell  was  poured  upon 
him.     Betrayed  by  one*  of  his  professed  friends,  he  is  sold  to 


-22  TH£    LORD    JESUS    CHHIST 

his  enemies  for  thirty  pieces  of  silver.  A  band  of  soldiers 
sieze  and  lead  him  away.  The  hands  which  uphold  the 
universe  are  bound  with  cords.  See  him  arraigned  before 
Pilate's  bar,  and  found  innocent,  but  yet  condemned.  Now 
behold  the  harmeless  Lamb  of  God,  as  the  Psalmist  expresses 
it,  surrounded  by  the  bulls  of  Bashan,  fierce  and  strong:  i.  e.  by 
Herod,  Pilate  and  the  Chief  Priests.  Insulted  by  the  Roman 
soldiery,  abused  by  the  low,  mean  and  contemptible  rabble. 
See  that  face  so  lovely  spat  upon,  black  and  mangled,  swelled 
by  strokes,  and  red  with  gore.  Behold  him  who  came  to  work 
a  spotless  robe  to  cover  naked  souls,  himself  stripped  and 
scourged  with  knotty  whips,  till  his  bones  might  be  counted. 
See  the  King  of  Kings,  the  Lord  of  Lords,  covered  with  a 
purple  robe  of  mock  royalty.  See  him  who  crowns  with  glory 
millions  of  pardoned  rebels,  himself  crowned  with  thorns, 
piercing  his  temples  with  streaming  wounds.  After  all  this,  he 
is  made  to  bear  his  cross  through  the  streets  of  Jerusalem,  and 
up  MoiHit  Calvary  to  the  place  of  execution.  Behold,  he  is 
laid  upoft'  the  cross — his  measure  taken — his  feet  nailed  by  iron 
spikes  to  the  upright  pillar — his  arms  are  extended  upon  the 
transverse  beam,  and  his  hands  made  fast — the  bloody  tree 
erected  and  jolted  with  violence  into  the  pit  prepared  for  its 
reception,  which  racks  his  body  and  tares  his  wounds  with  an 
unutterable  torture.  Now  behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  the  bleed- 
ing, dying  Jesus,  suspended  between  heaven  and  earth,  by  his 
tender  hands  and  feet,  as  a  mark  for  the  justice  of  God,  the 
malice  of  devils,  and  the  rage  of  wicked  men.  But  these  tor- 
ments of  the  body  are  small,  when  compared  to  the  excruciating 
pains,  the  agonizing  tortures  of  the  soul.  The  vengeance  of 
God  incensed  against  sin,  falls  upon  him  with  infinite  weight. 
The  sins  of  the  whole  elect  world,  seize  upon  him  like  so  many 
deadly  vipers.  The  curse  of  the  divine  law,  which  hurled  le- 
gions of  Angels,  excelling  in  strength,  from  the  heaven  of 
heavens,  to  the  bottomless  pit  of  Hell,  was  laid  upon  him  in  its  full 
extent.  He  endured  in  his  soul  and  body,  all  the  pains  which  his 
blood-bought  millions  would  have  suffered  to  all  eternity  in  Hell. 

Let  us  suppose  a  burning  glass  so  constructed  as  to  collect  all 
the  rays  of  heat  emanating  from  the  sun  into  one  focal  point. 
It  would  in  a  moment  consume  a  mountain  of  flint,  and  make  it 
flow  a  stream  of  liquid  fire.  But  this  would  bear  no  compari- 
son to  the  tremendous  blaze  of  divine  vengeance,  which  shot 
from  the  burning  throne  of  justice,  and  concentrated  upon  the 
person  of  Christ. 

But  what  rendered  his  sufferings  most  intolerable  of  all,  was 
the  hiding  of  his  father's  face.  The  sweet  smiles  of  Jehovah, 
which  he  had  enjoyed  from  the  earliest  period  of  eternity,  are 
now  withdrawn.     The  sun  of  righteowsness  is  eclipsed  in  mid- 


A    MIGHT T   CO.XaUEROR. 


night  darkness.  Every  drop  of  comfort  from  heaven  and  earth 
is  gone.  Now  hear  the  incarnate  God,  with  groans  that  shake 
the  Universe,  crying  out,  in  the  most  intolerable  anguish :  "  Eloi, 
Eloi,  lama  sahacthani.'"^  The  rocks  are  rent — the  mountains 
shake — all  nature  is  convulsed.  "  The  vail  of  the  temple  was 
rent  in  tivain,from  the  top  to  the  bottom.^-  The  graves  give  up 
their  dead — the  heavens  are  clad  in  sackcloth — the  sun  is  wrap- 
ped in  darkness.  Now  behold  the  rose  of  Sharon,  the  lily  of 
raradise,  dipped  in  streams  of  divine  blood. 

The  eternal  I  am,  the  essence  of  being,  the  fountain  of  life, 
sinks  in  the  agonies  of  death,  a  pale  and  lifeless  corpse,  and  with 
a  loud  "It  is  finished,"  gives  up  the  ghost. 
Jesus  drinks  the  bitter  cup, 
The  wine  press  treads  alone. 

But  human  reason  asks.  Is  this  the  mighty  conqueror,  the 
heroic  Jesus,  you  have  been  describing?  This  man,  thus  cruci- 
fied in  weakness,  hanging  dead  upon  the  cross,  whom  Joseph  of 
Arimathea  wraps  in  linen  and  lays  in  a  grave ;  is  this  the  invin- 
cible hero?  Why  does  he  not  act  the  God?  Why  not  make 
his  lightnings  flash,  his  thunders  roll,  his  vengeance  burst  in 
storms  upon  his  bloody  persecutors? 

His  disciples  are  brought  to  a  dreadful  stand.  They  see  their 
Master  dead  and  laid  in  the  grave.  They  know  not  what  to 
make  of  it.  "TFe  trusted,''''  say  they,  ^Hhat  it  had  been  he  ichich 
should  have  redeemed  Israel.'"'  We  may  suppose  the  Ano-elic 
armies  are  struck  with  astonishment,  w^ien  they  behold  their 
mighty  Maker  die;  the  Creator  of  all  worlds  a  mangled,  bloody 
corpse. 

Around  the  bloody  tree. 

They  pressed  witli  strong  desire, 

That  wondrous  sight  to  see — 

The  Lord  of  Life  expire. 

And  could  these  eyes  iiave  known  a  tear, 

Had  dropt  it  there, 

In  sad  surprise. 

But  Jehovah's  paths  are  in  the  deep,  his  footsteps  in  the  migh- 
ty waters.  Christ  crucijied  is,  indeed,  to  the  Jeivs  a  stumblina- 
block,  and  to  the  Greeks  foolishness;  but  to  evert/  one  that  believes 
the  viisdom  of  God  and  the  power  of  God  to  salvation. 

However  pagans  may  scotl",  and  infidels  sneer  at  the  crucifix- 
ion and  death  of  the  Son  of  God,-  it  was  the  most  memorable 
and  the  most  glorious  transaction  that  heaven  and  earth,  God,  an- 
gels, or  men  ever  witnessed. 

The  conquest  of  Babylon  by  Cyrus — the  overturning  of  the 
great  Persian  Empire  by  Alexander — the  victories  of  Hannibal, 
Scipio  and  Bonaparte,  which  have  crowned  the  little  heroes  of 
this  world  with  immortal  honor,  and  raised  their  fame  to  the 


24  ■  THE    LORD     JESU9    CHRIST 

Stars,  are  all  but  like  the  frantic  projects  of  Bedlamites,  or  the 
unmeaning  manoeuvres  of  insects,  when  compared  with  the  vic- 
tory gained  by  the  Ahnighty  Jesus  over  the  powers  of  Dark- 
ness, upon  Mount  Calvary.  Here  he  destroyed  the  empire  of 
hell;  he  went  down  into  the  dark  territory  of  death,  defeated 
him  in  his  own  dominions,  and  deprived  him  of  his  poisonous 
sting.  It  was,  indeed,  a  spectacle  worthy  the  admiration  of  the 
Universe,  to  see  the  despised  Galilean,  one  in  the  likeness  of  the 
son  of  man,  wresting  the  keys  of  death  and  hell  from  the  devil; 
to  see  him  entangling  the  rulers  of  darkness  in  their  own  nets, 
and  defeating  them  by  their  own  stratagems.  They  made  one 
of  his  disciples  betray,  and  another  deny  him;  they  made  the 
Jews  accuse,  and  the  Romans  crucify  him; — but,  after  all  this, 
the  wonderful  Counsellor  out-generalled  the  old  Serpent.  Here 
the  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah  was  too  powerful  for  the  roaring 
Lion  of  hell.  The  unparalleled  cruelty  of  men  and  devils  is 
overruled  by  the  wisdom  of  God,  to  effect  the  pardon  of  mill- 
ions of  rebellious  sinners;  in  short,  to  make  an  end  of  all  sin, 
and  bring  in  an  everlasting  righteousness. 

Though  he  was  crucified  in  weakness,  yet,  says  M'Laurin, 
"with  one  hand  he  grasped  multitudes  of  poor  lost  sinners,  just 
ready  to  plunge  into  hell;  and  with  the  other  he  grasped  a  hea- 
venly inheritance,  unspeakable  joys,  and  an  eternal  weight  of 
glory,  to  give  them — and  died  with  the  shout  of  victory  in  his 
mouth,  crying,'  It  is  finished.'  " 

But  come  to  his  resurrection,  and  does  he  not  appear  a  migh- 
ty conqueror  indeed!  Behold,  he  breaks  the  bars  of  death,  and 
rises  like  a  God,  pi'oclaiming  his  victory — that  he  has  fulfilled 
the  law,  satisfied  divine  justice,  and  purchased  eternal  blessed- 
ness for  his  followers. 

Uprising  from  the  darksome  tomb, 

See  the  triumphant  Jesus  come, 

The  Lord  of  Glory  leaves  the  prison, 

And  Angels  tell  that  he  is  risen. 
Yes,  they  tell  the  weeping  women  at  the  sepulchre,  "Feor  not^ 
ye  •  for  I  know  that  ye  seek  Jesus,  zvhich  luas  crucified.  He  is  not 
here;  for  he  is  risen,  as  he  said.  Come,  see  zohere  the  Lord  lay.'^ 
He  remains  forty  days  upon  earth;  organizes  his  new  empire,  es- 
tablished upon  the  ruins  of  the  devil's  kingdom;  and  though  his 
church  was  then  like  a  grain  of  mustard  seed,  yet  it  has  grown 
and  increased,  and  will  continue  to  expand  until  it  fills  the  whole 
habitable  globe — until  the  knowledge  of  God  covers  the  earth, 
as  the  waters  the  face  of  the  great  deep. 

In  the  mean  time  he  condescends  to  visit  his  poor  persecuted 
followers.  He  meets  Mary  Magdalene  at  the  sepulchre,  and 
tenderly  accosts  her:  '■''Woman,  whyweepest  thouV^  '■^ Touch  me 
not;  for  I  am  not  yet  ascended  to  my  Father \  but  go  to  my  brethren^ 


A    MIGHTY    CONQUEROR.  2j 

a?id  say  unto  them,  I  ascend  unto  -iny  Father  and  your  Father;  and 
to  my  God  and  your  God.''^  On  the  eve  of  the  Sabbath,  when  his 
poor  mourning  disciples  were  met  together,  the  doors  being  shut 
for  fear  of  the  Jews,  the  blessed  Jesus,  their  glorious  risen  Lord, 
appears  in  the  midst  of  them,  surprises  them  with  his  sweet  pres- 
ence, and  says :  '•Peace  be  unto  you.''  He  shows  them  his  hands  and 
fe§t.  As  the  two  disciples  were  going  to  Emaus,he  draws  nigh  and 
travels  with  them-  He  opens  their  minds  to  understand  the  Scrip- 
tures, then  makes  himself  known  to  them  in  the  breaking  ol 
bread.  Overjoyed,  they  return  to  Jerusalem — run  to  their 
brethren — and  while  telling  them  the  blessed  news,  Jesus  is  in 
the  midst  of  them  again,  saying,  '•''Peace  be  unto  you  f  and  while 
they  are  terrified  and  affrighted  at  his  presence,  with  all  the  ten- 
derness of  a  God,  he  addresses  them:  '•'•Why  are  ye  troubled?  and 
why  do  thoughts  arise  in  your  hearts?  Behold  my  hands  and  my 
feet,  that  it  is  I  myself:  handle  me  and  see;  for  a  spirit  hath  not  flesh 
and  bones,  as  ye  see  me  have.''''  ^'And  he  led  them  out  (ls  far  as  to  Be- 
thany, and  he  lifted  up  his  hands  and  blessed  them.  And  it  came  to 
pass, while  he  blessed  them,  that  he  zvas  parted  from  them,  and  car^ 
ried  up  into  heaven.''''  Like  a  mighty  conqueror,  he  ascends  far 
above  the  visible  heavens  to  his  native  glory,  and  sits  down  at 
the  right  hand  of  the  Majesty  on  High. 

Now  all  heaven  wonders  and  adores,  while  angels  and  arch- 
angels cry  in  the  language  of  the  text:  "  Who  is  this  that  cometh 
from  Edom,  with  dyed  garments  from  Bozrah?  this  that  is  glori- 
021S  in  his  apparel,  travelling  in  the  greatness  of  his  strength  ?''' 

But  again,  this  Jesus,  the  friend  of  sinners,  he  that  is  mighty 
to  save,  is  a  glorious  conquorer.  The  dreadful  battle  on  Mount 
Calvary,  though  decisive,  was  the  prelude  to  innumerable  God- 
like victories,  which  he  has  since  achieved,  over  the  arch  fiend 
of  hell.  The  apostle  John  thus  describes  him  in  his  victorious 
military  career;  '■^  And  I  saw  heaven  opened,  and  behold  a  white 
horse;  and  he  that  sat  upon  him  was  called  Faithful  and  True; 
and  in  righteousness  he  doth  judge  and  make  war.''' 

The  next  glorious  victory  recorded  of  him  was  won  upon  the 
day  of  Pentecost,  when  the  Holy  Ghost  came '  down  like  the 
rushing  of  a  mighty  wind,  when  the  glory  of  God  filled  the 
place.  On  this  day,  under  one  sermon,  three  thousand  souls 
were  brought,  like  humble  penitents,  to  the  feet  of  Jesus ;  and 
amongst  them  some  of  the  most  bloodthirsty  monsters,  who  had 
imbrued  their  hands  in  the  blood  of  the  Son  of  God.  And  in  a 
few  days  after,  we  find  his  conquest  rapidly  increasing.  When 
the  apostles  and  their  new  converts  were  met  together  with  one 
accord,  and  engaged  in  importunate  prayer,  the  Holy  Spirit  de- 
scends from  Heaven  with  mighty  power,  and  shakes  the  place  in 
which  thev  were  assembled. 


-2G  THE    LORD     JESUS     CHRIST 

Soon  after  the  triumphant  Lord  spreads  his  conquest  over  all 
Syria,  Arabia,  Ethiopia,  and  Egypt;  along  the  Mediterranean 
throughout  Asia  Minor,  Greece  and  Italy;  thence  to  the  most 
distant  parts  of  the  halaitable  earth,  until  millions  are  rescued 
from  the  jaws  of  the  roaring  Lion  of  hell.  And  many  have 
been  the  glorious  days  of  the  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  of  God, 
bestowed  upon  our  wretched  world,  to  the  salvation  of  millions. 
Three  of  these  great  days  of  the  Son  of  Man  I  have  witnesse'd. 
One,  on  the  Monongahela,  where  I  first  felt  the  all-conquoring 
power  of  the  love  of  Jesus,  which  to  all  eternity  I  shall  never 
forget,  was  at  a  Sacrament  on  the  morning  of  a  Sabbath  in 
1786.  The  second  in  North  Carolina,  in  1789.  The  third  in 
Kentucky,  from  1797  until  1 802.  And  may  I  ever  lie  the  lowest, 
humblest  creature  in  the  dust,  when  I  reflect  that  the  Lord  made 
use  of  me,  mean  and  unworthy,  to  begin  the  glorious  work  in 
both  these  blessed  seasons.  I  rejoice  at  the  prospect.  I  expect 
to  meet  with  many  souls  in  heaven,  who  were  my  spiritual  chil- 
dren in  both  these  revivals. 

But,  glory  to  God,  the  all-conquering  Jesus  will  ride  on  the 
chariot  of  his  gospel,  gaining  victory  after  victory,  until  his 
empire  shall  spread  from  pole  to  pole;  till  it  includes  all  Europe, 
Asia,  Africa,  and  America.  Soon  the  time  shall  come  wdien  a 
nation  will  be  born  in  a  day ;  when  the  small  stone  cut  out  of  the 
mountain  without  hands  will  become  an  exceeding  great  moun- 
tain and  fill  the  whole  world ;  when  the  light  of  the  moon  shall  be 
as  the  light  of  the  sun,  and  the  light  of  the  sun  as  the  light  of 
seven  days;  when  the  knowledge  of  God  shall  cover  the  earth 
as  the  waters  do  the  face  of  the  great  deep. 

Another  trait  in  the  character  and  conduct  of  this  conqueror, 
is,  that,  after  having  subdued  the  veteran  soldiers  and  command- 
ers of  the  camp  of  hell,  he  converts  them  into  the  most  bold 
and  undaunted  heroes  of  the  Cross. 

See  Saul,  the  blood}  persecutor,  bound  for  Damascus,  command- 
ing a  troop  for  the  tyrant  of  hell,  intending  death  and  destruct- 
ion to  all  that  named  the  name  of  Christ.    Jesus  arrests  him  in  his 
course,  strikes  conviction  so  deep  into  his  soul,  that  he  falls  prostrate 
to  the  ground,  and  cries  in  bitter  anguish:  "  Lord^  what  wilt  thou 
have  mc  to  dof''     See  him  pardoned,  justified,  and  sent  as  a 
chosen  vessel  to  bear  the  name  of  Christ  to  Kings  and  Geiitiles; 
and  behold  him  one  of  the  unconquerable  champions  in  the 
cause  of  Jesus,  fighting  under  the   banner  of  the  Cross,  and 
bringing  whole  nations  to  bow  to  the  royal  sceptre  of  Immanuel. 
During  the  three  first  centuries,  the  Devil  struggled  hard,  by 
the  instrumentality  of  the  Roman  emperors,  to  recover  his  king- 
dom.    By  ten  successive  persecutions  they  endeavored  to  extir- 
pate Christianity  from  the  earth.     But,  as  the  persecutors  them- 
selves acknowle'dge,  the  blood  of  the  martyrs  was  the  seed  of  the 


^ 


A    5U(;HTY     CONaUEROU.  .  2i 

church;  for  the  more  they  tortured  the  Christians,. the  more  they 
butchered  them  by  death  in  its  most  aggravated  forms,  the  more 
the  work  of  God  pravailed  and  their  number  increased.     But  it 
was  under  the  emperor  Dioclesian,  that  the  Devil  made  his  most 
vigorous  exertion  to  destroy  the  church.     The  Christians  were 
put  to  death  with  such  slaughter,  that  the  empire  was  measurably 
depopulated.     On  public  days  they  were  collected  and  butchered 
by  thousands,  until  the  streets  ran  in  blood.     Every  Christian 
known  in  the  world  was  put  to  death.     Now  hell  triumphed. — ' 
The  devil  boasted  final  victory.     A  coin  was  struck  by  the  Ro- 
man Emperor,  with  this  inscription:   "  Christianity  abolished, 
and  the  worship  of  the  gods  restored."     But  Jesus,  the  mighty  to 
save,  reserves  his  victory  till  the  most  desperate,  hopeless  period. 
When  it  seems  that  all  is  lost,  Dioclesian  dies,  and  Constantine 
is  proclaimed  Emperor.     While  on  his  march  to  Rome,  the  vic- 
torious Lord  displays  his  almighty  power,  converts  Constantine, 
and  brings  him  as  an  humble  penitent  to  his  feet.     He- ascends 
the  throne  as  a  Christian,  demolishes  the  pagan  temples,  and  de- 
stroys their  idols. 

Now  the  religion  of  Jesus  rises,  like  the  phoenix  from  its 
ashes,  "  bright  as  the  mornings  fair  as  the  moon,  clear  as  the  sivn, 
and  terrible  as  an  army  with  banners^''' 

Many  examples  might  be  enumerated  of  the  triumphing  law 
of  Christ;  but  it  were  useless  to  dwell  upon  particulars.  View 
the  countless  millions  of  the  redeemed  out  of  every  nation, 
kindred,  tongue,  and  people  upon  the  earth ;  every  individual  of 
whom,  is  an  astonishing  wonder  of  mercy  to  himself  and  to  the 
angelic  hosts. 

Again,  let  us  compare  the  mighty  heroes,  the  bloody  conquerors 
of  this  world,  with  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  those  who  have  over- 
turned thrones  and  empires,  and  drenched  the  world  in  blood. 
When  thus  compared,  Cyrus,  Alexander,  Cassar,  Tamerlane, 
Frederic  of  Prussia,  and  Napoleon,  dwindled  into  insignificant 
pigmies.  All  their  plans,  victories,  conquests  and  revolutions  fall 
as  far  beneath  the  glory  of  the  triumphs  of  the  Cross  and  their 
attendant  consequences,  as  the  cob-houses  of  children  are  infe- 
rior to  the  solar  system. 

Cyrus,  indeed,  drained  the  great  river  Euphrates  into  the  arti- 
ficial Lake,  entered  the  city  through  its  dry  passage,  and  thus 
subdued  the  inetropolis  of  the  world,  and  ruined  the  Chaldean 
empire.  Thrice  he  carried  his  victorious  army  into  Lydia,  and 
led  the  celebrated  Crossus  in  chains. 

But  Jesus  drank  dry  the  infinite  ocean  of  God's  burning 
wrath,  demolished  the  strong  holds  of  the  devil,  overturned  the 
dark  empire  of  hell,  and  led  the  monster  Death  in  chains. 

Alexander,  at  the  head  of  his  Grecian  lions,  swam  the  Gran- 
dincus,  charged  an  army  six  times  as  numerous  as  his  own,  and 


'28  THE    LORD    JESUS    CHRIST 

cut  them  to  pieces.  With  the  rapidity  of  the  leopard  he  pursues 
his  victory,  annihilates  a  mighty  host  at  the  straits  of  Issus, 
takes  Gaza,  Tyre,  and  Lydon,  and  at  the  decisive  battle  upon 
the  plains  of  Arbela,  subdues  the  great  Persian  empire. 

But  Jesus  comes,  leaping  upon  the  mountains,  skipping  upon 
the  hills,  flying  upon  the  wings  of  everlasting  love;  he  sw^ims 
through  floods  of  divine  wrath,  to  rescue  sinners  from  destruc- 
tion; ''•  bruises  the  head  of  the  serpent^''  wrests  the  keys  of  hell 
.  from  the  hands  of  the  devil,  and  liberates  millions  of  captive 
souls  from  his  galling  servitude. 

These  mighty  butchers  of  mankind  spread  death  and  destruc- 
tion wherever  they  go.  But  Jesus  came  upon  the  most  benev- 
olent mission — not  to  destroy,  but  to  save  them.  The  object  of 
his  victories  is  not  to  enslave  poor  rebels,  but  to  redeem  them 
from  worse  than  Egyptian  bondage,  and  bring  them  into  the 
glorious  liberty  of  the  sons  of  God;  to  make  them  kings  and  priests 
unto  God ;  to  put  them  in  possession  of  a  heavenly  inheritance — of 
an  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory — of  joys  such  as  "  eye 
hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  neither  hath  it  entered  into  the  heart  of 
man  to  conceive.''^ 

The  mighty  men  of  this  world,  with  all  their  power,  can  only 
subdue  the  body;  with  all  their  troops  and  artillery  they  can 
never  conquer  the  heart;  the  mind  will  be  free.  But  Jesus  sub- 
dues both  soul  and  body;  he  changes'  the  disposition  of  the 
savage  into  the  meekness  and  innocence  of  the  lamb. 

Let  an  Avistrian  or  a  Spaniard  contemplate  Bonaparte  in  all 
his  imperial  pomp  and  grandeur,  or  in  the  hight  of  his  military 
power,  would  this  subdue  his  heart  or  conquer  his  enmity  ?  No. 
It  would  only  incense  his  hatred  and  influence  his  resentment. 
The  potent  monarch  may  chain  their  bodies,  and  force  them 
to  submission,  but  their  souls  are  still  unconquerable.  But  let 
the  most  hardened  veteran  in  the  devil's  camp,  whether  Pagan, 
Mahometan,  or  Atheist,  once  view  the  unspeakable  glory  and 
beauty  of  Jesus,  and  the  enmity  of  his  heart  is  slain;  he  grounds 
the  arms  of  his  rebellion,  and  falls  an  humble  penitent  at  his  feet. 
Yea,  could  an  army  numerous  as  that  which  Xerxes  led  across 
the  Hellespont,  behold  the  infinite  beauty  of  the  lovely  Jesus 
displayed  as  one  man,  they  would  turn  their  backs  upon  their  old 
master,  the  devil,  and  fly  to  the  banner  of  prince  Immanuel.  And 
now  let  us  bring  forward  heroes  of  a  more  amiable  character:  and 
when  compared  with  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  they  sink  into  in- 
significance. 

Gustavus  Adolphus,  of  Sweden,  the  hero  and  the  Christian, 
the  terror  of  Europe,  yet  the  friend  of  mankind; — he  fought 
and  conquered;  but  it  was  for  the  religion  and  the  liberties  of 
his  people.  The  Duke  of  Marlboro'  slew  his  thousands  and 
tens  of  thousands,  won  battle  after  battle ;  but  it  was  in  defence 


A    MIGHT y    CONQ,UKROR.  29 

of  the  Protestant  cause  against  the  persecuting  house  of  Bour- 
bon. William  III.  of  England,  also  fought  and  conquered,  but 
it  was  to  free  a  nation  from  the  yoke  of  a  popish  tyrant.      ^~** 

We  may  add  the  immortal  Washington,  the  patriot  and  sage, 
who,  aided  by  the  justness  of  his  cause,  succeeded  in  rescuing 
an  infant  nation  from  the  yoke  of  oppression,  and  in  establish- 
ing its  freedom  and  independence.  But  all  these  great  men 
were  obliged  to  triumph  at  the  expense  of  the  blood  of  multi- 
tudes. Jesus  conquers  by  his  own  death — though  blood  must  be 
spilt,  it  flows  from  his  own  streaming  wounds — his  own  bleed- 
ing heart.  They  fought  for  temporal  blessings,  for  an  earthly 
portion ; — he,  to  procure  freedom  from  sin  and  hell — to  purchase 
eternal  glory  and  blessedness  in  Heaven. 

Before  we  dismiss  this  part  of  the  subject,  let.us  contemplate 
the  last  glorious  victory,  when  he  tramples  all  his  enemies  under 
his  feet — when  he  casts  the  devil  and  all  his  subjects  into  the  bot- 
tomless pit  of  hell — and  lifts  all  his  ransomed  followers  to  the 
highest  summit  of  glory; — when  he  will  come  in  the  clouds  of 
heaven,  in  all  the  pomp  and  grandeur  of  the  godhead,  to  judge 
the  world  in  righteousness.  His  appearance  then  will  be  awfully 
grand  and  mejestic.  He  will  come  surrounded  by  all  his  holy 
angels,  with  power  and  great  glory.  He  will  descend  from 
heaven  with  a  shout,  with  the  voice  of  the  archangel,  and  the 
trump  of  God.  He  will  ascend  the  great  white  throne  in  full 
view  of  heaven,  earth  and  hell.  Saith  John :  "  Behold  he  cometh 
with  clouds;  and  every  eye  shall  see  him,  and  they  also  which 
pierced  Am."  Says  Daniel:  ''^  I  beheld  till  the  thrones  were  cast 
down,  and  the  Ancient  of  Days  did  sit,  whose  garment  was  white 
as  snow,  and  the  hair  of  his  head  like  the  pure  wool:  his  throne 
was  like  the  jiery  flame,  and  his  loheels  of  burning  fire.  A 
Jlery  stream  issued  and  came  forth  from  before  Imn;  thousand 
thousands  ministered  unto  him,  and  ten  thousand  times  teyi  thous- 
and stood  before  him.''' 

How  is  he  changed!  Is  this  the  babe  of  Bethlehem?  the 
man  of  sorrow? — the  criminal  condemned  at  Pilate's  bar,  who 
expired  on  the  cross  all  covered  with  wounds  and  blood? 

Now  the  Deist,  who  denied  his  divinity  and  sneered  at  his 
word;  lukewarm  professors  who  served  him  with  the  forms, 
without  the  power  of  religion ;  with  Pilate,  who  passed  the  un- 
just sentence  upon  him;  and  persecuting  Jews,  who  shouted 
"  Crucify  him!  Crucify  himP''  trembled  before  him,  and,  with 
shrieks  that  pierce  the  Heavens,  they  call  upon  the  rocks,  and 
mountains  to  fall  upon  them,  and  hide  them  from  the  face  of  him 
that  sitteth  upon  the  throne.  The  clangor  of  the  last  trump 
is  heard  throughout  heaven,  earth  and  hell. 

The  Lord  of  Glory  sends  his  summons  forth, 
Calls  the  South  nations,  and  awakes  the  North. 


30  THE    LORD    JKSUS    CHRIST 

From  East  to  West  his  sovereign  orders  spread, 
Through  distant  worlds  and  regions  of  the  dead. 

The  sleeping  nations  awake.  Death  and  hell  give  up  their 
dead.  The  Almighty  Conqueror  sends  his  angels  to  the  four 
winds  of  heaven,  to  gather  his  elect.  Not  the  poorest  beggar, 
or  the  meanest  slave  that  ever  felt  the  love  of  Jesus,  shall  be  left. 
Now  Adam  and  all  his  posterity,  an  innumerable  multitude,  stands 
upon  the  earth.  The  righteous  are  separated  from  the  wicked. 
The  former  with  marks  of  the  highest  love,  are  placed  on  the 
right  hand;  while  the  ungodly  and  impenitent  stand  on  the  left, 
covered  with  horror  and  dismay,  awaiting  their  final  doom. — 
And  now  the  victorious  Lord,  with  a  voice  sweeter  than  the 
music  of  heaven,  welcomes  his  ransomed  followers  into  the 
celestial  Paradise:  ''^  Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit  the 
kingdom  jjrepared  for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the  world,'''' 
Then,  with  a  frown  which  communicates  the  hell  of  hells,  with 
a  voice  which  shakes  the  universe,  and  makes  the  bottomless 
abyss  of  damnation  tremble  to  its  centre,  he  passes  sentence  on  • 
the  wicked:  ^^  Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed,  into  everlasting  fere, 
prepared  for  the  Devil  and  his  angels.^'' 

II.  Conclude  by  passing  a  few  observations  upon  the  words 

"  3IIGHTY  TO  SAVE." 

The  many  names  by  which  Christ  is  called  in  Scripture, 
are  designed  to  set  forth  his  excellency,  and  recommend  him  to 
the  choice  of  every  guilty  sinner..  Such  as,  '•  Jehovah'''' — '•^Jesus'''' 
— ^^  ImmanueP — "  Christ^'' — ^^The  friend  of  sinners''^- — "  The  rock 
of  ages'''' — "  The  fountain  opened'''' — "  The  tree  of  life'''' — "  The 
true  lighf — "  The  day  star'' — "  The  morning  star"^^ — "  The  sun  of 
righteousness'''' — "  The  hiding  place''' — '•  The  strong  hold''' — "  The 
good  shephercd,  u-ho  lays  down  his  life  for  the  sheep."'''  But  the 
•name  used  in  the  text,  "  Mighty  to  save,''  seems  to  be  the  aggre- 
gate of  them  all.  In  it  is  contained  every  idea  of  the  being, 
essence,  and  attributes  of  God.  It  includes  Christ  in  all  his 
meditorial  offices,  all  rich  provisions  of  the  everlasting  covenant; 
in  a  word,  all  that  is  necessary  for  the  salvation  of  sinners. 

First.  ^^Mightyto  save,'^  implies  that  redemption  is  purchased; 
that  the  .ransom  is  paid,  and  that  all  things  upon  God's  part  are 
ready.  It  also  implies  that  no  case  is  too  desperate,  too  hope- 
less, for  the  almighty  power,  the  unbounded  goodness  of  Christ 
Jesus,  our  Lord. 

Harlots,  publicans,  and  thieves,  yea,  even  the  murders  of  the 
Son  of  God — those  who  spat  upon  him,  scourged,  crowned  him 
with  thorns,  and  nailed  him  to  the  cross,  found  pardon  for  their 
sins  in  his  blood.  Are  there  any  in  a  more  hopeless  situation, 
such  need  not  despair.  Jesus  is  mighty  to  save.  Though  your 
crimes  were  more  numerous,  and  infinitely  more  provoking  than 
all  the  sins  that  have  been  pardoned  from  the  beginning  of  the 


A    MIGHTY    CONQUEROR.  31 

world  to  the  present  day,  yet  Jesus  bids  you  welcome.  He  tells 
you:  "  Him  that  cometh  unto  me  I  will  in  noicise  cast  out,^''  His 
blood,  like  an  infinite  ocean,  is  all-sufficient  to  cleanse  you  from 
all  the  impurities  of  sin.  But,  says  the  distressed  sinner,  I  feel 
myself  ruined  and  undone,  and  that  there  is  no  hope  for  me. — 
Then  you  are  the  character  his  mercy  calls.  He  came  to  seek 
and  save  them  that  were  lost.  "  This  is  a  faithful  saying,  and 
worthy  of  all  acceptation,  that  Christ  Jesus  came  into  the  world  to 
save  sinners;  of  whom  I  am  chief .^^  But,  says  the  condemned 
rebel,  I  have  spent  my  whole  life  in  rebellion  against  God.  I 
have  ^sinned  against  light.  I  have  stifled  conscience,  I  have 
murdered  many  convictions,  and. quenched  the  holy  spirit  of 
God.  Had  I  attended  to  the  calls  of  mercy  many  years  ago, 
it,  might  have  been  well  with  me;  but  I  fear  that  it  is  now  too 
late.  Hear  the  Lord  by  his  prophet:  '•^Though  your  sins  be  as 
crimson,  they  shall  be  as  wool;  though  they  be  red  like  scarlet,  they 
shall  be  white  as  ^nozt'." 

Though  your  sins  were  ten  thousand  times  more  aggravat- 
ing, though  you  have  long  provoked  the  Lord,  and  have  tram- 
pled his  blood  under  your  feet,  yet  his  pains,  his  groans,  and 
dying  agonies,  his  streaming  wounds,  all  invite  you  to  come  unto 
him. 

The  sinner  says,  I  have  waited  long,  have  been  crying  for 
mercy,  but  I  seem  only  to  grow  worse.  Others  have  been  re- 
leased; but  no  deliverance  comes  to  me.  But,  friend,  Christ 
has  waited  much  longer  upon  you;  then  do  not  despair.  The 
lame  man  lay  at  the  pool  of  Bethesda  thirty-eight  years,  and 
at  last  was  healed.  If  you  return  to  sin,  you  must  be  lost  eter- 
nally. Then  continue  to  plead  for  mercy,  and  salvation  and 
eternal  life  shall  be  given  you:  Though  you  are  on  the  the  brink 
of  ruin,  helpless  and  undone,  Jesus  is  the  "  insurrection  and  the 
life.  Though  dead,  you  shall  be  made  alive.  Strive  not  to  make 
yourself  better;  come  just  as  you  are,  though  blind  as  Barte- 
mius  and  dead  as  Lazarus.  Remember  Christ  is  the  great  phy- 
sician. He  can  heal  all  the  maladies  of  the  soul.  His  en- 
couraging invitation  is:  "•  Look  unto  me,  all  ye  ends  of  the  earthy 
and  be  ye  saved:  for  I  am  God,  and  there  is  none  else.'''' 


'^ 


SERMON    III 


ON  THE  NATURE  AND  CONSEQUENCES  OF  SIN. 


For  the  wages  of  sin  is  death, — Rom.  vi.  23. 


The  design  of  the  Apostle,  in  the  preceding  chapter,  is  to 
prove  the  doctrine  of  justification  by  the  imputed  righteous- 
ness of  Christ.  This  being  established  by  the  most  forcible 
arguments,  he  proceeds  in  this  chapter  to  show,  that  this  doc- 
trine, so  far  from  giving  toleration  to  sin  and  licentiousness, 
lays  the  surest  foundation  for  a  life  of  obedience,  and  could  only 
be  evinced  by  the  fruits  of  holiness  in  heart  and  life;  and,  there- 
fore, through  the  w'hole  chapter,  he  exhorts  the  poeple  of  God 
to  the  exercise  of  self-denial,  and  mortification,  and  to  a  grow- 
ing progress  in  the  life  of  sanctification:  all  of  which  exercises 
being  the  genuine  fruits  of  a  justified  state,  are  the  only  con- 
vincing proofs  of  it,  both  to  the  world  and  to  their  own  con- 
sciences. 

The  Apostle  concludes  the  chapter  with  two  powerful  motives, 
taken  from  the  different  consequences  resulting  from  a  life  of  sin 
and  a  life  of  holiness.  ^'■For  the  icages  of  sin  is  death,  but  the 
gift  of  God  is  eternal  life,  through  Jesus  ChtHst,  our  Lord.'''' 

In  the  words  of  the  text,  we  may  observe  an  inseparable  con- 
nection between  sin  and  death,  such  as  exists  between  the  cause 
and  the  effect.  Death  is  here  termed  the  wages  of  sin,  in  allu- 
sion to  the  custom  of  soldiers  or  servants,  who,  at  the  close  of 
their  service,  receive  their  reward  or  full  pay.  So  death,  natu- 
ral and  eternal,  follows  a  life  spent  in  sin,  as  its  just  desert.  The 
subject  naturally  divides  itself  into  two  ideas,  viz:  sin  and  death; 
therefore  we  shall, 

I.  Define  Sin,  in  its  nature  and  tendency. 

II.  Describe  Death,  which  is  the  consequence  of  sin. 

I.  Sin  in  its  nature  is  a  negative.  It  is  not  the  essence  of  any 
being,  nor  yet  essentially  the  act  of  any  being;  but  a  mode  or 
quality  of  an  action  or  actions;  therefore,  the  best  way  to  define 
it  is,  a  violation  of  the  law  of  God,  or  a  want  of  conformity  to 


'   ON  THE  NATURE  AND  CONSKQ,UENCES  OF  SIN.  33 

that  law.  It  is  a  voluntary  refusing  to  obey  the  commands  of 
God,  or  a  refusing  to  choose,  love  and  delight  in  his  law  and  go- 
vernment; or  it  is  the  performing  of  the  commands  of  God  from 
wrong  principles  and  motives,  and  to  wrong  ends;  therefore,  it 
must  stand  in  direct  opposition  to  the  nature  and  will  of  God.  So 
that,  with  great  propriety,  it  is  termed  in  Scripture,  "T//e  ahoin- 
inable  thing  that  God  hates.'''' 

That  there  is  an  infinite  evil  in  sin,  will  appear,  if  we  considei 
the  nature  of  the  divine  law  which  it  violates.  The  law  of 'God 
is  a  transcript  of  his  perfections,  or  it  is  a  mirror  that  reflects  the 
image  of  his  moral  attributes  to  the  view  of  all  intelligent  beings. 
It  is  the  law  of  the  Creator  and  Upholder  of  the  Universe,  who 
has  an  unquestionable  right  to  rule  his  creatures,  and  to  give  them 
laws  for  that  purpose;  and  he  being  infinite  in  wisdom,  power, 
holiness,  justice,  goodness,  and  truth,  is  qualified  to  rule  the  uni- 
verse. To  transgress  this  law,  is  to  cast  a  reflection  upon  it  as 
being  unreasonable  and  impracticable;  that  it  is  not  adapted  to 
the  creature's  happiness,  therefore  it  must  either  be  foolish  or  ty- 
rannical. To  cast  such  a  reflection  upon  the  law  of  God,  is  to 
insult  the  Lawgiver  himself;  as  if  he  were  not  sufficiently  wise 
to  make  a  law  adapted  to  the  best  interest  of  his  creatures,  or  if 
he  knew  what  was  best  for  them,  he  had  not  sufficient  goodness 
to  grant  it:  which  last  seems  evidently  contained  in  the  first 
temptation-  to  sin  which  man  ever  embraced ;  and  so  far  as  any 
man  prefers  his  own  choice  to  the  law  of  God,  so  far  he  practi- 
calh^  says,  that  his  own  will  is  more  fit  to  direct  him  than  an  infi- 
nitely wise  God ;  and  so  far  as  he  complies  with  the  temptations 
of  Satan,  so  far  he  declares  that  the  will  of  a  filthy  devil  is  more 
fit  to  be  the  rule  of  his  conduct,  than  the  will  of  the  glorious, 
good  and  all-wise  Governor  of  the  Universe. 

Again,  viewing  the  law  as  a  transcript  of  the  moral  perfec- 
tions of  God,  and  conformity  to  it  enforced  with  a  penalty.  The 
language  of  every  sin  is,  that  it  is  better  to  forfeit  all  the  good 
which  God  can  bestow,  and  risk  all  the  evil  which  his  wrath  can 
inflict,  than  to  be  conformed  to  such  a  being.  When  we  consi- 
der that  the  glory  of  God,  which  is  thus  dishonored,  is  infinite, 
then  there  must  be  an  infinite  evil  in  sin.  For,  although  no  act 
of  a  finite  creature  can  have  infinite  dignity  or  demerit,  arising 
from  the  agent  considered  separately,  and  the  obedience  of  a 
finite  creature,  though  perfect,  cannot  receive  infinite  v/orth  from 
the  infinitude  of  the  being  obeyed,  so  even  a  perfect  creature 
cannot  be  said  to  love  or  delight  in  more  glory  than  he  can  in 
some  degree  apprehend ;  consequently,  as  he  cannot  apprehend 
God,  his  love  and  delight  must  fall  short  of  being  adequate  to  his 
infinite  glory.  But  sin  being  a  despising  and  rejecting  of  the 
whole  Deity,  both  what  is  apprehended  of  him,  and  what  is  not. 


34  ON    THE    NATURE    AND 

therefore  it  casts  the  highest  possible  dishonor  upon  infinite  glo- 
ry, and  there  must  be  an  infinite  evil  in  sin. 

But  again,  as  there  is  an  infinite  evil  in  sin,  so  also  in  its  ten- 
dency it  is  calculated  to  destroy  the  whole  ci-eation  of  God. 
Yea,"such  is  its  infinite  malignity,  that  it  naturally  tends  to  un- 
hinge the  divine  law,  to  destroy  the  moral  government  of  the 
universe,  and  to  introduce  disorder  and  ruin  through  all  the 
works  of  God.  In  short,  sin  aims  at  nothing  less  than  to  extin- 
guish the  divine  glory,  to  undeify  the  Deity,  to  deprive  him  of 
his  being,  and,  finally,  to  aiinihilate  the  source  and  essence  of  all 
happiness. 

Jehovah,  who  is  the  author  and  fountain  of  all  being,  is  infi- 
nitely and  essentially  glorious,  lovely  and  excellent  in  all  his 
perfections,  which  render  him  worthy  of  the  love,  esteem  and 
adoration  of  all  his  intelligent  creatures;  and  his  happiness  con- 
sists in  the  contemplation  of  his  own  infinite  glory. 

Now,  if  the  happiness  of  God  consists  in  contemplating  his 
infinite  glory,  and  in  the  enjoyment  of  his  adorable  attributes,  it 
plainly  follows,  that  the  true  happiness  of  all  his  creatures  must 
consist  in  a  knowledge  of  his  perfections,  and  in  a  perfect  con- 
foi'mity  to  his  nature;  and  the  divine  law,  which  sin  despises  and 
rejects,  is  a  complete  and  perfect  copy  of  all  his  moral  perfec- 
tions, which,  like  a  mirror,  reflects  his  glory  to  the  view  of  all  his 
rational  creatures.  But  sin  aims  at  nothing  less  than  the  de- 
struction and  annihilation  of  this  law;  and  if  the  true  happiness 
of  intelligent  creatures  consists  in  a  perfect  conformity  to  it, 
then  sin  naturally  tends  to  destroy  and  annihilate  their  happi- 
ness, and  its  infernal  purpose  is  their  ruin  and  perdition. 

But  plain  matters  of  fact,  the  most  convincing  of  all  proofs, 
illustrate  this  truth.  What  hurled  archangels  and  bright  shining 
seraphs  from  the  heaven  of  heavens  to  the  bottomless  burning 
lake  of  hell?  It  was  sin.  Their  happiness  consisted  in  perfect 
holiness  and  conformity  to  the  divine  law.  But  sin  stripped 
them  of  all  their  primeval  beauty  and  blessedness,  and  changed 
them  into  filthy  devils;  it  changed  their  shouts  and  loud  hallelu- 
jahs into  shrieks,  and  groans,  and  yells,  and  horrid,  hellish  blas- 
phemies. What  debased  and  sullied  the  beauty  of  this  world? 
It  was  sin;^as  Dr.  Watts  expressess  it,  "Sin,  that  cursed  name, 
in  one  hour  spoiled  six  days'  labor  of  a  God."  What  stripped 
Adam  of  his  primeval  rectitude  and  purity?  What-robbed  him 
of  his-happiness,  and  drew  the  image  of  the  Devil  upon  his  heart? 
It  was  sin.  One  fatal  act  of  sin  ruined  him,  and  all  his  unborn 
race,  and  deluged  the  whole  habitable  globe  with  mischief,  mise- 
ry and  ruin.  What  transformed  the  beloved  creature  man,  the 
darling  of  his  Maker,  and  the  governor  of  the  lower  world,  into 
a  child  of  wrath,  a  slave  to  his  lusts,  and  a  drudge  to  the  devil? 
It  was  sin,  that,  like  a  deadly  plague,  or  malignant  and  mortal 


.  CONSEQUENCES  OF  SIN ^  35 

contagion,  has  filled  the  earth  with  deceit  and  wickedness,  blood- 
shed and  violence,  misery  and  woe,  destruction  and  death,  and 
has  turned  an  earthly  Paradise  into  an  emblem  of  hell. 

But  let  us  notice  the  infernal  malignity,  or  as  the  Apostle  Paul 
expresses  it,  '•'•the  exceeding  .mifulness  of  sin,'''' 

1st.  Sin.  Every  sin  contains  in  it  the  most  glaring  injustice, 
robbery  and  villany.  Mankind,  in  a  Christless  state,  seem  to 
have  no  idea  of  sin  but  what  affects  civil  society,  or  injures  their 
fellow  men ;  hence  they  admit  that  falsehood,  slander,  defraudino- 
and  muixier  is  sin.  But  sins  against  God,  or  a  violation  of  the 
first  table  of  the  divine  law,  such  as  profaning  the  Sabbath,  tak- 
ing the  name  of  God  in  vain,  living  without  prayer,  or  loving  the 
world  and  the  things  of  it  more  than  God; — these  they  consider 
innocent  and  harmless.  They  suppose  that  the  Eternal  God  is 
some  foolish,  simple,  easy  being,  who  will  suffer  his  law  and  go- 
vernment to  be  insulted  and  ti-eated  with  contempt,  without  even 
resenting  it;  or  else  they  suppose  he  is  filthy,  depraved,  like 
themselves,  and  will  connive  at  their  sin  and  take  no  notice  of 
their  wickedness.  Hence  they  pride  themselves  on  their  mora- 
lity, their  equity  and  uprightness;  they  imagine  that  they  are 
honest  men  and  good  citizens,  when  in  reality  they  are  more 
guilty  of  villany  and  injustice,  in  the  sight  of  God,  than  the 
most  flagrant  horse-thief,  or  house-robber,  in  the  view  of  the 
respectable  members  of  the  community.  Justice,  according  to 
its  strictest  definition,  is  a  rendering  to  every  one  his  due.  With 
respect  to  our  fellow  men,  it  requires  us  to  render  to  superiors 
that  honor  and  obedience  M'hich  is  due  to  their  dignity  and  sta- 
tion;— with  respect  to  our  inferiors,  it  requires  us  to  fulfill  every 
duty  we  owe  to  them,  in  the  relation  they  stand  towards  us ; — 
with  respect  to  our  equals,  that  we  do  to  them,  in  all  things,  as 
we  would  have  them  do  unto  us.  ♦.But  if  justice  is  a  rendering  to 
every  one  his  due,  what  are  we  bound  to  render  God,  the  Sove- 
reign of  the  Universe,  our  Creator,  Preserver,  and  kind  Bene- 
factor? The  divine  law  lays  in  its  claim,  and  tells  you,  that  it 
demands  our  whole  hearts,  affections,  life  and  being.  ^^Thoii 
shall  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heai%  icith  all  thy  soul, 
with  all  thy  strength,  and  with  all  thy  mind.''''  But  sin,  in  the 
most  base,  unjust  and  villanous  manner,  robs  God  of  all  this; 
for— 

1st.  He  claims  as  his  due  the  whole  heart,  the  supreme  love 
and  the  warmest  affections  of  the  soul :  but  of  this  sin  robs  him. 
The  sinner  loves  himself  infinitely  more  than  he  does  his  Ma- 
ker. He  loves  the  world  and  its  sinful  pleasures  infinitely  more 
than  he  does  the  God  of  heaven;  these  things  engross  his  whole 
time  and  attention,  while  the  thougHt  of  God  seldom,  if  ever, 
enters  into  his  mind: — and  is  not  this  unjust  in  the  highest  de- 
gree? 


36  ON    THE    NATURE      AND 

2d.  He  created  man;  he  gave  him  his  being;  and  he  pre- 
serves him  in  being;  he  loads  him  with  the  bounties  of  his  kind 
providence ; — therefore  he  claims  his  obedience,  praise  and  ado- 
ration. But  the  sinner  wickedly  and  obstinately  refuses  to  obey 
his  commands;  he  serves  himself,  the  world  and  the  Devil,  and 
he  rejects  the  law  of  God  as  the  most  tyrannical  yoke.  Is  not 
this  robbery,  to  all  intents  and  purposes? 

3d.  He  demands  one  day  in  seven  as  his  unquestionable  right; 
he  claims  every  moment  of  it  as  his  own ; — he  commands  his  ra- 
tional creatures  to  sanctify  it  and  keep  it  holy,  for  the  purpose 
of  his  worship  and  service ;  he  requires  them  to  spend  it  in  such  a 
manner  as  not  to  do  their  own  works,  speak  their  own  words, 
think  their  own  thoughts,  nor  seek  their  own  pleasure.  But  the 
sinner  obstinately  refuses  to  render  to  God  his  right.  He  spends 
the  Sabbath  doing  his  own  works,  speaking  his  own  words,  think- 
ing his  own  thoughts,  and  seeking  his  own  pleasure ;  in  a  word, 
he' spends  it  as  a  day  of  feasting,  visiting,  vain  amusements,  and 
carnal  conversation. 

Again,  sin  contains  the  highest  species  of  treason  against  the 
Sovereign  of  the  Universe.  The  sinner  usurps  the  throne  of 
God,  instead  of  loving  him  with  his  whole  heart.  Instead  of 
making  the  will  of  God  the  rule  of  his  happiness,  he  is  ruled  by 
his  own  will.  Instead  of  making  the  glory  of  God  the  object  of 
all  his  actions,  he  makes  his  own  interest,  profit,  or  pleasure,  the 
chief  end  of  his  conduct.  It  contains  the  highest  species  of 
whoredom.  A  jealous  God  requires  the  whole  heart,  soul,  body 
and  spirit,  to  be  kept  pure  for  himself;  but  the  sinner  rejects  his 
God,  banishes  him  from  his  heart,  and  places  his  affections  on 
the  world  and  the  cares  of  it,  and  on  the  gratification  of  his  fil- 
thy lusts  and  appetites;  hence  the  Lord  complains  of  sinners  as 
of  a  wife,  who  has  treacherously  departed  from  her  husband: 
"50  have  ye  dealt  treacherously  zvith  me." 

Sin  also  contains  the  most  base  ingratitude ;  hence  God  him- 
self declares,  that  the  conduct  of  sinners  is  more  ungenerous 
than  that  of  the  irrational  brute ;  and  he  calls  upon  the  inanimate 
creation  to  stand  amazed,  and  be  struck  with  horror  at  their  ac- 
tions: "i^/ear,  O  heavens!  and  give  ear,  O  earth!  I  have  nourish- 
ed and  brought  up  children,  and  they  have  rebelled  against  me.  The 
ox  knoweth  his  owner,  and  the  ass  his  master'' s  crib,  but  Israel  doth 
not  know  me;  my  people  cloth  not  consider.''''  The  man  who 
would  abuse  the  unmerited  favors  of  a  kind  benefactor,  turn 
his  enemy,  and  treat  him  with  contempt,  would  be  esteemed  by 
society  as  meaner  than  the  brute.  The  child  who  would  basely 
spit  in  the  face  of  his  father,  who  had  tenderly  raised  him  from 
infancy ;  who  would  disobey  all  his  commands,  and  on  all  occa- 
sions treat  his  person  and  character  with  contempt,  would  be 
considered  a  monster  in  human  shape.    But  this  bears  no  compa- 


#' 


fONS£Q,UKNC£S    OF.  SIN.  37 

rison  to  the  baseness  and  infernal  malignity  of  that  ingratitude 
to  God,  which  is  contained  in  the  smallest  sin.  He  is  the  foun- 
tain of  every  perfection,  and  the  author  of  our  existence;  he 
created  us  intelligent  beings,  capable  of  knowing  him  and  of 
contemplating  his  glory;  he  provides  for,  protects  and  preserves 
us,  and  loads  us  with  the  kind  blessings  of  his  providence ;  he 
pitied  us  in  our  fallen  state;  he  gave  his  son,  his  only  and  well 
beloved  son,  to  spill  the  last  drop  of- his  blood,  that  the  price  of 
our  ransom  might  be  paid.  The  heart  of  man  cannot  conceive, 
nor  the  tongue  of  an  archangel  express,  the  infinite  obligations 
we  are  under  to  love  and  serve  him.  But  sni,  in  its  nature,  spits 
the  venom,  malice  and  contempt  of  a  devil  in  the  very  face  of 
God.  It  does  what  it  can  to  sink  the  character  and  dignity  of 
the  Most  High  into  I'eproach  and  ridicule.  It  tramples  upon 
his  government;  and  had  it  strength  equal  to  its  malignity,  it 
would  dethrone  the  Almighty  and  deprive  him  of  existence. 

Sin  contains  the  highest  degree  of  unbelief.  This  reflects  the 
highest  dishonor  upon  God.  It  gives  the  lie  to  all  his  promises 
and  threatenings.  God  declares  that  " 5m  i5  an  injinite  evil ;'''' 
^Hhe  aho77iinable  thing  that  he  hates;''"'  Hhat  he  is  of  purer  eyes 
than  to  behold  it ;''''  and  thaf'Ae  cannot  look  upon  iniquity. ^^  But 
the  sinner,  by  his  conduct,  says,  God  is  a  liar;  sin  is  a  pleasant, 
harmless  thing;  there  is  no  harm  in  profaning  the  Sabbath  in  a 
civil  frolic,  nor  in  a  genteel  ball;  none  in  a  horse  race,  a  civil 
game  at  cards,  dice,  or  billiards;  none  in  blaspheming  the  name 
of  God,  especially  if  I  am  in  a  passion,  nor  in  taking  a  hearty 
drink  of  grog  in  a  tavern,  and  in  being  lively  in  wicked  com- 
pany. 

God  declares  that  the  sinner  out  of  Christ  is  his  enemy  by 
wicked  works;  that  ^Hhe  heart  of  man  is  deceitful  above  all 
things^  and  desperately  ivickedf  that  ^*evcry  imagination  of  the 
thoughts  of  his  heart  is  evil,  only  evil  continually ;''"'  that  "ozi^  of 
the  heart  proceed  evil  thoughts,  adulteries,  fornications,  murders, 
thefts,  coveteousness,  wickedness,  deceit,  lasciviousness,  an  evil  eye, 
blasphemy,  pride, foolisliness.''''  But  the  sinner  says,  God  lies;  I 
have  a  good  heart,  much  better  than  many  who  pray  and  pretend 
to  a  great  deal  of  religion;  I  bear  malice  against  none;  I  am 
always  willing  to  relieve  the  distressed:  it  is  true,  I  swear  an 
oath  occasionally,  particularly  when  I  am  insulted;  I  sometimes 
take  a  drink  of  grog,  but  I  never  get  more  than  gentlemanly 
drunk;  I  attend  balls,  and  sometimes  take  a  hand  at  cards;  I 
love  the  best  end  of  a  bargain,  and  so  does  every  man;  if  I 
cheat  my  neighbor  in  the  swap  of  a  horse,  he  had  the  half  of 
the  bai'gain  to  make,  and  he  would  have  cheated  me,  had  he 
been  as'  smart  as  I — and  there  is  no  harm  in  these  practices;  the 
best  characters  in  our  country  do  such  things. 


S8  ON   xHii;  natCre  and 

God  declares  that  we  must  be  converted,  or  be  forever  damn-- 
ed;  that  we  must  be  born  again,  or  never  enter  the  kingdom  of 
heaven.  But  the  sinner  by  his  conduct  says,  God  is  a  liar;  I 
expect  to  be  happy  after  death,  but  I  do  not  wish  to  be  saved  in 
that  way;  I  beheve  the  Bible,  too — at  least,  I  suppose  that  some 
of  it  is  true ;  but  I  cannot  bear  the  idea  of  conversion  and  sen- 
sible experience ;  I  cannot  put  up  with  the  notion  of  feeling  the 
love  of  God  shed  abroad  in  the  heart,  or  of  being  happy  in 
Christ — this  looks  so  much  like  enthusiasm  and  weakness  of 
mind;  I  despise  the  method  of  obtaining  religion  which  God 
points  out  in  the  Bible;  I  expect  to  be  saved  in  a  better  way;- 1 
am  for  a  rational  religion,  altogether  upon  philosophical  princi- 
ples, with  very  little  praying  and  no  feeling,  one  that  will  take 
along  with  it  the  sinful  pleasures  of  the  world,  at  least  upon  a 
polite  scale,  and  that  will  not  expose  me  to  contempt,  reproach 
and  persecution,  but  which  M'ill  be  popular  among  the  polite  and 
respectable  members  of  society. 

God  declares  that  ^Hhe  loages  of  sin  is  deatli^''  and  that  all  who 
live  in  sin  and  die  out  of  Christ,  shall  have  their  portion  in  the 
lake  ''Hhat  hurneth  icith  fire  and  h-imstoneJ'''  But  the  sinner 
joins  with  that  old  serpent,  the  Devil,  and  says,  God  is  a  liar. 
Says  one,  I  don't  believe  there  is  a  hell ;  God  would  be  a  tyrant, 
indeed,  were  he  to  punish  me  to  all  eternity  for  the  few  foibles, 
blunders,  and  innocent  amusements  of  my  life.  Says  another, 
I  do  not  know  certainly  that  there  is  a  hell — this  is  a  matter  on 
which  I  have  Hot  much  reflected ;  but  I  have  done  nothing  wor- 
thy'of  eternal  punishment:  1  have  never  committed  murder. 
Says  another,  I  acknowledge  that  I  am  not  a  Christian,  yet  I  do 
not  believe  that  I  will  go  to  hell;  I  have  committed  some  bad 
actions,  but  I  have  also'  performed  many  good  ones.  Says  an- 
other, God  is  very  merciful,  therefore  he  will  not  send  me  to 
hell.  Now  all  these  persons  give  the  God  of  truth  the  lie  to  his 
face. 

But  sin,  death,  and  hell,  are  as  inseparably  connected  as  the 
cause  and  effect;  and  this  brings  us, 

2d.  To  describe  death,  which  is  the  consequence  of  sin. 

God,  as  the  Sovereign  of  the  Universe,  possesses  the  right  of 
governing  his  creatures ;  for  he  is  infinitely  fit  to  rule  and  direct 
them  agreeably  to  his  will  and  pleasure ;  and  he  has  given  them 
a  law  for  that  purpose,  designed  by  his  wisdom  and  goodness,  to 
promote  the  happiness  of  his  creatures,  to  manifest  the  glory  of 
his  attributes,  and  preserve  the  order  and  harmony  of  the  uni- 
verse. Then  it  must  naturally  follow,  that  the  law^  must  have  a 
penalty  annexed  to  it,  in  order  to  prevent  disobedience,  disorder 
and  confusion  among  those  who  are  governed ;  and  this  "penalty 
must  be  such  as  will  be  in  proportion  to  the  nature  of  the  of- 
fence, and  to  the  greatness  and  glory  of  the  person  offended. 


cokskq,ueni;ks    of  sin,  39 

We  hsive  already  proven  that  sin  is  an  infinite  evil;  then  it 
follo^vs  that  it  merits  nothing  less  than  infinite  punishment, 
which  can  only  be  inflicted  upon  a  finite  creature  by  pain  of  an 
eternal  duration.  In  the  text,  the  penalty  of  sin  is  summed  up 
in  the  word  death:  ^^The  loages  of  sin  is  death. ''^  This  was  the 
penalty  annexed  to  the  law,  when  it  was  given  to  our  first  pa- 
rents, in  their  state  of  innocence:  "/?i  the  day  thou  eatest  thereof 
thou  shalt  surely  die.''''     Now  this  death  comprehends, 

1.  Natural  death,  which  is  a  penal  evil,  and  consists  in  the 
separation  of  the  soul  from  the  body. 

2.  Spiritual  death,  which  is  the  separation  of  the  soul  from 
God. 

3.  Eternal  death,  or  as  it  is  emphatically  tei'med,  the  second 
death;  which  is  the  everlasting  separation  of  both  soul  and  body 
from  God,  and  from  the  glory  of  his  presence.  Death,  in  this 
complex  sense,  is  the  death  expressed  in  the  text,  and  which  is 
inseparably  connected  with  sin; land  this  death  includes  an  ever- 
lasting exclusion  from  all  possible  good,  and  the  infliction  of  all 
possible  evil. 

1st.  It  contains  the  loss  of  God,  the  source  of  all  happiness, 
the  loss  of  heaven,  of  the  society  of  angels,  and  the  spii'its  of 
just  men  made  perfect;  of  all  means  of  salvation,  and  of  all 
hope. 

2d.  It  implies  that  the  malignant  enmit}-  of  the  sinner's  heart 
against  God,  with  every  infernal  temper  of  the  soul,  shall  be  ri- 
pened into  horrid,  hellish  perfection,  so  that  their  natures  will  be 
as  perfectly  unlike  to  God  and  conti-ary  to  him,  as  it  is  possible 
for  the  hellish  wickedness  of  a  devil  to  be,  to  the  pure,  immacu- 
late holiness  of  God. 

3d.  It  includes  the  horrible  society  of  devils  and  damned 
ghosts,  where  all  the  moral  filth  and  pollution  of  the  world  are 
collected  together,  and  where  guilty  sinners,  who  die  out  of 
Christ,  through  all  eternity  shall  enjoy  no  better  society  than 
that  of  filthy  and  despairing  fiends. 

4th.  This  death  includes  in  it  all  the  pains  of  hell.  Do  you 
ask  what  is  hell?  Without  attempting  to  gratify  a  vain  curiosi- 
ty, I  will  refer  you  to  what  God  has  said  concerning  it  in  his  holy 
word,  and  there  it  is  termed, "  The  second  death'''' — "  The  blackness 
of  darkness''' — '*The place  of  torment"' — ^^HeUJire-- — "TF/^ere  the 
u-07'77i  dieth  not^  and  the  fire  is  not  quenched''' — "T/^e  bottotnless 
piV — "-4  Lake  of  fire''' — ^''Thc  vengeance  of  eternal  fire''' — "J. 
lake  of  fire  burning  icith  brimstone''' — ^^Tophet  ordained  of  old, 
the  pile  whereof  is  much  wood,  and  the  breath  of  the  Lord,  like  a 
stream  of  brimstone,  doth  kindle  it.'''' 

The  word  of  God  expressly  declares,  that  ^'sinners  are  cast 
into  this  lake  of  fire;  that  they  endure  the  vengeance  of  eternal 
fire,  where  they  have  not  a  drop  of  imter  to  cool  their  parched 


40  ON    THE   NATURj:     AND 

tongues;  that  they  see  tlie  people  of  God  afar  ojf,  enjmjing  the 
hapjriness  of  heaven,  ivhile  they  are  separated  firnn  them  by  an 
impassable  gulf;  that  they  drink  the  loine  of  the  wrath  of  God, 
poured  into  the  cup  of  his  indignation,  without  ?nixture;  that  the 
smoke  of  their  torment  ascendeth  forever  and,  ever,  and  they  have 
no  7'est,  day  nor  7iight.^^  All  tHese  are  only  figurative  terms; 
therefore  they  afford  but  a  faint  view  of  the  torments  of  hell, 
for  the  strongest  figure  bears  no  proportion  to  the  thing  repre- 
sented by  it.  The  types  and  sacrifices  under  the  Jewish  dispen- 
sation, were  expressive  figures  of  Christ  and  his  salvation.  A 
city,  with  walls  of  precious  stone,  gates  of  pearl,  and  streets  of 
gold,  is  a  figure  of  the  glory  of  the  heavenly  state ;  so  a  '■'•bottomless 
pit,'''  or  a  '•'•lake  of  fire,  burning  ivith  brimstone^''  is  but  a  figure  of 
hell.  Therefore  we  conclude,  that  as  far  as  the  salvation  purchas- 
ed by  the  blood  of  Christ  excels  the  dark  types  and  shadov/s  of 
the  Mosaic  dispensation;  as  far  as  the  infinite  glories  of  heaven  ex- 
cel a  material  city,  with  walls  of  precious  stones  and  streets  of 
gold,  so  far  do  the  pains  of  hell  exceed  the  torments  of  a  death- 
less human  soul  and  body,  confined  in  a  lake  of  fire  burning  with 
brimstone.  As  '•'■eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  neither  hath  it 
entered  iiito  the  heart  of  man  the  things  that  God  hath  prepared 
for  them  that  love  him;'''  so  it  is  equally  impossible  in  the  pres- 
ent state,  to  form  just  conceptions  of  the  torments  of  hell,  which 
are  prepared  by  a  holy  God  for  impenitent  sinners.  We  shall 
suppose  that  all  the  pains  and  torments  that  ever  were  endured, 
by  all  the  human  bodies  which  ever  existed  upon  the  earth,  were 
inflicted  on  one  person;  add  to  this  ten  thousand  times  the  hor- 
ror endured  by  Spira,  yet  all  this  \140uld  not  bear  the  same  com- 
parison to  the  torments  of  the  damned  in  hell,  that  the  scratch 
of  a  pin  will  do  to  a  sword  run  through  a  man's  vitals. 

Again.  View,  if  you  please,  the  structure  of  the  universe; 
examine  the  globe  we  inhabit,  with  her  continents,  islands,  rocks 
and  mountains ;  her  oceans,  seas,  lakes,  and  rivers,  and  the  innu- 
•merable  variety  of  her  inhabitants  and  vegetable  productions; 
view  the  fixed  stars,  and  planetary  systems,  their  magnitude,  the 
order  and  harmony  of  their  motions; — and  then  say  how  bound- 
less that  wisdom,  how  omnipotent  that  power,  which  gave  being 
to  all  these  mighty  systems.  Then,  I  would  ask,  what  must  that 
hell  be,  which  is  brought  into  existence  by  the  same  infinitely 
wise  and  powerful  Creator?  Hov*^  dreadful,  beyond  the  com- 
prehension of  even  angelic  minds,  must  the  torments  of  hell  be, 
when  the  omnipotent  and  omniscient  Jehovah  makes  his  power 
known  upon  the  vessels  of  wrath  fitted  for  destruction! 

But  what  is  still  more  dreadful,  that  which  constitutes  the  es- 
s'ence  of  hell,  the  very  emphasis  of  damnation,  is,  its  eternal 
duration.  They  go  away  into  everlasting  punishment,  where 
the  worm  dieth  not,  where  the  fire  is  not  quenched,  and  the 


CONSEQ,UENCES    OF    SIN.  41 

smoke  of  their  torment  ascendeth  forever  and  ever,  and  where 
they  have  no  rest,  day  nor  night.  When  they  have  spent  ten 
thousand  times  ten  thousand  ages  sinking  in  a  bottomless  hell, 
their  torments  virill  be  but  begun. 

Suppose  that  a  small  bird,  at  the  end  of  every  century,  were 
to  take  from  our  globe  a  particle  of  dust,  until  the  whole  were 
carried  off,  and  then  that  the  damned  were  to  be  released  from 
the  torments  of  hell ;  this  would  afford  some  relief:  but  the  pains 
of  hell  shall  never  end.  To  use  the  strikmg  words  of  the  pious 
Erskine,  the  language  of  the  damned  sinner  will  be: 

"Infinite  years  in  torment  must  I  spend, 

And  never,  never,  never  at  an  end ! 

O,  must  I  lie  in  torturing  despair, 

As  many  years  as  atoms  in  the  air !" 

But  there  is  an  ingredient  in  this  death,  which  is  the  conse- 
quence of  sin,  that  renders  it,  if  possible,  still  more  dreadful 
than  all  that  has  been  mentioned.  It  is  this, — their  torment 
will  be  a  growing  torment;  their  misery  will  be  an  increasing 
misery.  As  vessels  of  wrath,  they  will  be  forever  growing 
more  capacious,  and  forever  full  of  the  pure  and  unmixed  wrath 
of  a  sin-avenging  God.  Though  in  the  infernal  regions,  they 
will  still  be  rational  creatures ;  as  such,  they  will  continue  under 
the  law  of  God,  and  as  justly  liable  to  punishment  for  violating 
that  law  in  hell,  as  for  a  breach  of  it  while  upon  the  earth;  and 
as  their  enmity  against  God  will  be  ripened  to  the  most  horrid 
perfection  in  hell,  they  will  be  eternally  sinning,  gnawing  their 
tongues  with  infernal  pain,  and  uttering  the  most  dreadful  blas- 
phemies against  God;  therefore  their  bonds  will  be  forever 
strengthening,  and  their  misery  forever  increasing. 


m 


SE  fl  M  ON    I  V  . 


PARABLE  OF  THE  DRY  BONES. 


He  said  unto  we,  Son  of  jnan,  can  these  bones  live  ?  And  I  an- 
swered, O  Lord  God,  thou  knowest. — Ezekiel  xxxvii.  3. 


In  this  chapter  we  have  a  very  tragical  description  of  human 
misery,  in  its  most  hopeless  and  helpless  condition,  illustrated  by 
one  of  the  most  strikingly  significant  figures,  viz:  the  state  of 
the  dry  bones  lying  in  heaps,  or  scattered  abroad  upon  the  open 
field,  drying  and  wasting  away  by  the  influence  of  the  sun, 
rains  and  wind. 

Here  we  have  also  a  most  sublime  exhibition  of  the  almighty 
power  and  grace  of  God,  in  quickening  the  dry  bones  and  chan- 
ging them  into  an  exceeding  great  army  of  living  men. 

The  scene  is  in  the  Valley  of  Dry  Bones,  where  the  Prophet 
had  been  carried  in  vision  by  the  Spirit  of  God. 

The  bloody  fields  where  Alexander,  Ca3sar,  Tamerlane,  and 
other  heroes  fought;  where  thousands,  or  perhaps  hundreds  of 
thousands  lay  dead,  may  remind  us  of  ths  Valley  of  Dry  Bones. 
Suppose  the  dead  bodies  of  these  slaughtered  multitudes  to  have 
remained  unburied,  their  flesh  devoured  by  the  fowls  of  the  air 
and  by  the  wild  beasts  of  the  forest,  lying  for  many  years  upon 
the  surface  of  the  earth,  mouldering  and  wasting  away;  how  af- 
fecting would  this  sight  be  to  the  feelings  of  humanity,  and  how 
impossible,  upon  the  principles  of  reason,  for  them  ever  again 
to  appear  an  army  of  living  men. 

This  aftecting  parabolical  description,  literally  applies  to  the 
state  of  the  Jews,  probably  in  their  deplorable  condition  since 
their  dispersion,  which  took  place  at  the  destruction  of  Jerusa- 
lem, when  they  were  driven  from  their  own  country  by  the  Ro- 
man army  commanded  by  Titus  Vespasian;  since  that  period 
they  have  been  scattered  to  the  four  winds,  and  dispersed  among 
all  nations  of  the  earth. 


PARABLE  OF  THE  PRY  BONES.  43 

With  great  propriety,  the  subject  may  be  accommodated  to 
the  condition  of  unconverted  sinners,  comprising  many  millions 
of  the  human  race  who  are  spiritually  dead,  and  on  the  brink  of 
hell.  In  this  view  the  Valley  of  Dry  Bones  represents  the  world 
at  large,  which  every  where  abounds  with  spiritually  dead  souls; 
hence  it  is  almost  impossible  to  find  a  family,  in  this  land  of  gos- 
pel light,  where  there  is  not  a  spiritually  dead  soul.  Alas!  we 
often  find  whole  families  and  neighborhoods,  in  an  unconverted 
state. 

When  we  consider  the  nature  of  sin  and  the  influence  and 
extent  of  spiritual  death,  natural  death,  or  even  the  state  of  the 
dry  bones,  in  the  Valley  of  Vision,  affords  but  a  faint  emblem 
of  the  miserable  and  helpless  condition  of  spiritually  dead  sin- 
ners. Consequently,  the  preaching  of  the  word,  and  the  high- 
est exertions  of  mortals,  can  no  more  awaken  a  sinner  from  a 
state  of  spiritual  death,  than  a  human  voice  by  its  own  energy 
can  call  a  dead  corpse  from  the  gi'ave,  or  quicken  the  dry  bones 
in  the  Valley  of  Vision,  and  change  them  into  an  exceeding 
great  army  of  living  men.  Nothing  less  than  the  breath  of  the 
Lord  can  quicken  the  dry  bones ;  and  nothing  short  of  that  Al- 
might)'  voice,  which  spake  worlds  into  being,  can  convert  the 
sinner,  changing  the  temper  and  disposition  of  hell  into  the  spirit 
of  Christ. 

In  the  prosecution  of  the  subject  we  shall  pass  some  reflections 
on  each  particular  in  the  parable. 

Saith  the  Prophet:  "T^Ae  hand  of  the  Lord  rvas  upon  me,  and 
carried  me  out  in  the  spirit  of  the  Lord,  and  set  me  down  in  the 
midst  of  the  valley  which  was  full  of  hones,  and  caused  me  to  pass 
by  them  round  about,  and,  behold!  there  were  very  many  in  the 
open  valley,  and,  lo !  they  were  very  dry.'''' 

As  has  been  observed,  the  dry  bones  constitute  a  very  signifi- 
cant figure  of  spiritually  dea,d  souls.  The  valley  was  full  of  dry 
bones — Hhere  were  very  many;''"'  so  the  world  is  full  of  spiritually 
dead  souls.  The  prophet  Micah  compares  the  righteous  to  Hhe 
grape  gleanings  of  the  vintage;''''  that  is,  to  the  few  scattering 
grapes  left  behind  after  the  frugal  and  industrious  husbandman 
has  carefully  gathered  in  his  crop.  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  de- 
clares, that  '"''Strait  is  the  gate,  and  narrow  is  the  way  ichich  lead- 
eth  unto  life,  and  fem  there  be  that  find  it.^^  And  this  melancholy 
truth  is  clearly  proved  by  plain  matters  of  fact.  Were  the  in- 
habitants of  the  earth  divided  into  thirty  parts,  we  would  have 
nineteen  parts  Pagan,  six  Jewish  and  Mahoraedan,  and  five  pro- 
fessing Christianity,  including  Papists,  Protestants,  and  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Greek  Church;  the  professed  Christians  being  in 
proportion  to  the  rest  of  the  world  as  five  to  twenty-five.  View 
even  the  small  county  of  Henderson,  and  how  few,  compara- 
tively, can  tell  what  God  has  done  for  their  souls;   how  verv 


44  PARABLE    OF 

few  can  feel  the  witness  of  the  Word  and  Spirit  of  God,  that 
they  have  a  right  to  a  seat  at  the  communion  table.  The  bones 
were  very  dry — what  a  clear  evidence  of  the  certainty  of  natu- 
ral death ;  and  these  dry  bones  are  but  a  faint  representation  ot 
that  spiritual  death,  of  which  unconverted  souls  are  the  subjects. 

1st.  The  privation  of  action  in  a  natural  sense,  is  a  negative 
evidence  of  death,  and  this  evidence  the  unconverted  sinner  hath 
in  a  spiritual  sense:  for  he  is  destitute  of  all  motion  towards 
God;  he  has  no  disposition  to  obey  his  holy  commands;  he  has 
no  desire  to  pray  in  secret,  nor  in  his  family;  he  hates  the  Bible 
above  all  other  books,  and  to  read  and  study  it,  he  esteems  a 
most  intolerable  task;  he  has  no  disposition  to  commune  with 
his  own  heart,  nor  to  think  and  converse  about  the  eternal  state, 
and  the  great  business  of  his  soul's  salvation. 

2d.  The  want  of  breath  is  a  plain  evidence  of  the  privation 
of  life.  The  Christless  sinner  has  this  evidence  of  spiritual 
death:  for  he  has  no  breathings  after  a  transformation  into  the 
image  of  God;  he  has  no  longings  of  soul  after  communion  with 
him,  and  no  sweet  believing  views  of  his  glory  as  it  shines  in  the 
face  of  Jesus;  he  is  ignorant  of  God,  and  he  can  form  no  just 
conceptions  of  the  nature  of  spiritual  life. 

3d.  The  want  of  animal  heat  is  an  evidence  of  the  privation 
of  animal  life ;  and  the  sinner  has  no  warmth  of  affection  after 
God,  and  things  spiritual ;  he  tastes  no  sweetness  in  perusing  the 
scriptures,  and  in  conversing  with  God  by  prayer;  he  is  a  total 
stranger  to  communion  with  him,  and  he  has  no  zeal  for  his  glo- 
ry and  the  advancement  of  his  kingdom  on  the  earth. 

4th.  The  want  of  sensation  is  also  an  evidence  of  natural 
death;  and  the  unconverted  sinner  has  this  evidence  of  spiritual 
death.  You  may  beat  a  dead  man;  you  may  cut  his  flesh  from 
his  bones,  but  he  will  not  feel  it;  it  will  afflict  him  no  more  than 
it  would  a  rock.  Just  so  it  is  with  the  unconverted  sinner;  he 
is  destitute  of  spiritual  sensation,  and  his  heart  is  as  hard  as  the 
nether  millstone.  Talk  to  him  of  the  propriety  and  necessity 
of  embracing  religion,  and  of  leading  a  life  of  holiness,  and  he 
hears  you  with  as  much  indifference  as  if  you  were  conversing 
of  the  affairs  of  some  foreign  country,  in  which  he  is  not  at  all 
concerned.  He  may  assent  to  the  truth  of  what  you  say,  but 
he  treats  it  as  a  matter  of  no  moment,  and  in  which  he  is  not  in- 
terested. Preach  to  sinners  the  most  solemn  soul-searching  ser- 
mons; describe  to  them  the  state  of  their  souls;  point  out  the 
eternal  misery  that  awaits  them  without  repentance ;  and  they 
will  adopt  the  language  of  the  men  of  Sodom  to  Lot,  saying:  "/if 
is  the  voice  of  one  mocking,^^  When  the  minister  of  Jesus,  with 
bleeding  heart,  lays  before  them  their  danger,  and  with  vehe- 
mence and  importunity  urges  them  to  flee  the  wrath  to  come, — 


THE    DRV    BONES.  45 

O,  say  they,  this  is  too  much!     He  is  offended — he  is  trying  to 
frighten  us.     Does  he  think  we  are  fools? 

In  a  word,  could  you  uncover  the  bottomless  pit  of  hell;  could 
you  show  them  the  fiery  billows  of  God's  wrath,  rolling  in  im- 
petuous floods,  and  falling  in  eternal  storms;  display  to  them  the 
shrieks,  groans  and  yells  of  devils  and  damned  ghosts,  sinking 
beneath  the  fury  of  God;  and  alas!  they  sleep  on.  AH  these 
dreadful  realities  affect  them  no  more  than  the  whistling  of  the 
wind,  or  the  rattling  of  a  drum.  As  Rutherford  says,  "Were 
Dives  to  come  up  from  the  infernal  gulf,  flaming  and  blazing  with 
the  fire  of  hell ;  were  he  to  show  to  sinners  the  marks  and  scars 
he  had  received  from  the  lashes  of  the  devil's  scorpions; — yea, 
were  he  to  bring  up  the  red  coals  of  God's  wrath,  as  large  as 
mountains,  yet  all  this  would  not  move  or  awaken  one  soul,  un- 
less the  mighty  power  of  God  were  exerted."  Indeed,  could  a  rue- 
ful ghost  come  reeking  out  of  hell,  with  the  fire  visible  upon  him, 
the  stench  of  brimstone  about  him,  and  exhibit  the  flames  in  his 
bosom,  and  then  with  all  the  anguish  which  becomes  his  state, 
and  with  all  the  earnestness  to  which  a  sense  of  the  pains  of  hell 
can  raise  him,  let  him  tell  all  his  wretched  experience,  and,  if 
possible,  speak  all  he  felt;  let  him  bewail  himself  in  their  pres- 
ence, tearing  his  hair  and  gnashing  his  teeth;  let  him  weep  and 
wail  and  beseech  them  in  tears  and  passion;  and  when  he  has 
ended  his  amazing  mission,  as  he  descends  into  the  divided  earth, 
let  them  view  the  flames  of  the  pit  flashing  through  the  dreadful 
chasm;  yet  all  this  would  not  cause  one  sinner  to  repent. 

Hitherto  we  have  stated  only  the  negative  evidences  of  a 
state  of  death,  viz:  want  of  motion,  breath,  heat  and  sensation. 
In  the  Valley  of  Vision,  the  bones  were  scattered  over  the  plain, 
stript  of  flesh,  and  wasting  away;  the  marrow  dried  up,  and  all 
moisture  gone;  the  bones  of  different  persons  mixed  together; 
the  skulls  frequently  handled  by  curious  observers;  the  legs  and 
arms  lifted  up  by  eagles,  or  dragged  off"  and  devoured  by  beasts 
of  prey.     All  these  are  clear  evidences  of  a  state  of  death. 

So  Christless  sinners  have  not  only  the  evidences  of  the  priva- 
tion of  spiritual  life,  but  they  have,  also,  the  most  dreadiul  symp- 
toms of  spiritual  death,  in  its  fullest  extent.  This  death  con- 
tains not  only  the  want  of  original  righteousness,  and  of  holy 
principles  and  dispositions,  but  it  also  includes  positive  wicked- 
ness, and  enmity  against<God  and  his  ways ;  hence  they  are  said 
to  be  ^^enemies  to  God  by  wicked  works.''''  The  Psalmist,  speak- 
ing of  the  total  depravity  of  the  human  race,  says:  '''•They  are 
all  gone  aside,  they  are  altogether  become  Jllthy;  there  is  none  that 
doeth  good;  no,  not  one.'''' 

The  soul,  in  Scripture,  is  called  the  heart,  because  the  soul  is 
to  the  whole  man  what  the  heart  is  to  the  body:  the  heart  is  the 
spring  of  all  the  motions  of  animal  life,  and  the  soul  is  the  source 


46  PARABLK    OF 

of  all  spiritual  action.  From  it  proceed  all  depravity  and  wick- 
edness; hence  it  is  termed  "aw  unciixurncised  hearf — '''•a  sto- 
ny heart''' — "a  heart  set  to  eviV — "«  froward  hearf — "a  per- 
verse hearf' — "«  lohorish,  idolatrous  heart'''' — "a  hea^^t  departing 
from  God'"' — "«  rebellious  hear-f — "«  heai't  full  of  iniquity.'''' 
The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  says:  '•'•Out  of  the  heart  of  jnaji proceed 
evil  thoughts,  adulteries^  fornications,  murders,  thefts,  coveteous- 
ness,  ivickedness,  deceit,  lasciviousness,  an  evil  eye,  blasphemy^ 
pride,  foolishness,^^  This  is  the  description  given,  by  the  God  of 
heaven,  of  the  heart  of  every  unregenerate  sinner;  therefore  all 
their  thoughts,  words  and  actions,  must  be  sin.  .  ^^For  a  polluted 
fountain  cannot  send  forth  pure  water  ;  figs  cannot  grow  upon  thorns, 
nor  grapes  upon  thistles.'''  Hence,  in  Proverbs  it  is  said,  ^Hhe 
ploughing  of  the  wicked  is  sin  ;'^  that  is,  as  every  action  they  per- 
form, proceeds  from  a  deceitful  and  wicked  heart,  which  is  enmi- , 
ty  against  God,  must  be  an  act  of  rebellion  against  him,  and  if 
this  be  the  case,  it  follows,  that  the  spiritually  dead  sinner  can 
no  more  change  his  heart,  than  the  dry  bones  in  the  valley  can 
reanimate  themselves  and  rise  from  the  dead.  Jeremiah  con- 
firms this  important  doctrine.  '•'•Can  the  Ethiopian  change  his 
skin,  or  the  leopard  his  spots ;  then  may  ye  also  do  good,  that  are 
accustomed  to  do  evil.^^  Hence  the  propriety  of  our  God's  decla- 
ration, "jVb  man  can  come  to  me  except  the  Father,  who  sent  me, 
draw  hinif  and  that  of  the  Apostle  Paul,  '•'•What  is  the  exceeding 
greatness  of  his  power  to  us  ward  who  believe  according  to  the  work- 
ing of  his  mighty  power,  which  he  wrought  in  Christ  when  he  rais- 
ed him  from  the  dead.''''  Therefore,  we  conclude  that  the  work 
of  regeneration  is  a  new  creation  or  resurrection  from  the  dead; 
for  the  breath  of  the  Lord  alone  can  reanimate  souls  in  a  state 
of  spiritual  death. 

Bat  here  a  question  arises,  viz:  If  this  be  the  condition  of  the 
unconverted  sinner,  what  must  he  do?  Is  it  his  duty  to  sit  still 
and  vv'ait  God's  time?  I  answer,  No.  To  do  this,  is  just  to  go 
on  in  sin,  and  persist  in  hostile  rebellion  against  God.  It  is  the^ 
will  of  God  that  the  sinner  should  try  to  forsake  his  sms,  and  as* 
a  guilty,  condemned  criminal,  fall  at  the  footstool  of  sovereign 
mercy,  crying  for  pardon. 

Here  we  have  taken  another  dreadful  evidence  of  the  second 
death;  for  the  sinner  will  rather  risk  eternul  death  and  damna- 
tion, than  use  the  smallest  exertion^to "flee  the  wrath  to  come. 
He  will  confess  that  he  is  a  sinner,  and  destitute  of  an  interest 
in  Christ;  but  he  will  rather  risk  the  torments  of  hell  than  at- 
tend to  the  work  of  his  soul's  salvation. 

The  prophet  having  passed  round  the  bones  in  the  valley  and 
carefully  examined  them,  the  Lord  asks  him  the  question:  ^^So7i 
of  mxm,  can  these  bones  live?''''  According  to  the  laws  of  nature, 
the   prophet  views  their  reanimation  ns  impossible;   his  only 


TllK    DRV    BONKS.  47 

hope  was  founded  on  the  omnipotence  of  God;  therefore  he 
answers:  "O  Lord  God^  thou  knowest;''^  as  if  he  should  say,  all  cre- 
ated power  is  insufficient,  but  thou  canst  do  it.  The  Lord  said 
to  the  prophet:  "  Propesij  unto  these  dry  bones,  and  say  unto  them, 
O  ye  dry  hones,  hear  the  word  of  the  Lord.  This  saith  the  Lord 
God,  unto  these  bones,  Behold,  I  will  cause  breath  to  enter  you, 
and  ye  shall  live;  and  I  will  lay  sinews  upon  you,  and  will  bring 
up  Jlesh  upon  you,  and  cover  you  ivith  skin,  and  put  breath  in 
you,  and  ye  shall  live;  and  ye  shall  know  that  I  am  the  Lord,'''' 

God  works  by  means,  therefore  the  prophet  must  prophesy 
to  the  dry  bones,  before  he  will  exert  his  almighty  power.  In 
just  such  circumstances  the  ministers  of  the  gospel  must  preach 
to  spiritually  dead  sinners,  and  beseech  them  to  be  reconciled 
to  God;  and  without  the  exertion  of  God's  almighty  power,  we  ^i 
might  as  well  stand  in  a  common  grave  yard,  and  call  upon  the 
dead  corpses,  rotting  in  the  earth,  to  come  forth  and  act  like 
living  men. 

Saith  the  prophet:  "/  p7'ophesied  as  I  was  commanded.''^ — 
And,  poor  Christless  sinners!  in  the  same  solemn  manner  I  ad- 
dress you  to-day.  O  ye  dry  bones,  hear  the  word  of  the  Lord! 
Ye  spiritually  dead  souls,  hear  the  word  of  God!  The  arms  of 
an  infinite  God  are  sti'etched  out;  his  mercy  cries  after  you; 
his  bowels  yearn  with  compassion  over  you;  the  tender  heart 
of  Jesus  pities  you;  and  every  drop  of  blood  that  flows  from 
his  vains,  invite  you.  "  The  sjnrit  and  the  bride  say.  Come. — 
And  let  liim  that  heareth,  say.  Come.  Let  Mm  that  is  athirst 
come;  and  whosoever  will,  let  him  come.'''' 

The  prophet  proceeds  to  give  us  a  very  pleasing  relation. 
"  As  I  prophesied  there  ivas  a  noise,  and,  behold,  a  shaking,  and 
the  bones  came  together,  bone  to  his  bone;  and  when  I  beheld,  la! 
the  si?i8U-s  and  the  Jlesh  came  up  upon  them  and  the  skin  covered 
them  above:  but  there  ivas  no  bi-eath  in  them.'''' 

When  the  might);^  power  of  God  came  upon  the  dry  bones, 
there  was  a  noise  and  a  shaking;  and  when  the  spirit  of  God 
accompanies  the  preaching  of  tlie  word,  there  is  a  mighty  shak- 
ing among  unconverted  sinners.  We  are  told  that  when  Christ 
came  into  the  house,  ^'^he  could  not  he  hid;'"'  and  when  he  comes 
into  an  unconverted  family,  congregation  or  neighborhood,  he 
cannot  he  hid;  a  strange  and  uncommon  work  takes  place, 
which  excites  the  wonder  and  astonishment  of  all  who  witness 
it:  poor,  careless  and  prayerless  sinners,  become  serious  and 
deeply  impressed  with  a  sense  of  eternity  and  eternal  things. 
Now  they  are  to  be  seen  weeping  over  their  wretched  condi- 
tion, crying  for  mercy,  and  inquiring  of  ministers  and  experi- 
enced Christians,  what  they  must  do  to  be  saved.  Now  they 
forsake  their  former  companions  in  sin,  their  beloved  lusts  and 
wicked  practices.     When  they  are  under  the  sound  of  the  gos- 


48  PARABLE  OF 

pel,  they  hear  as  for  the  life  of  their  souls,  and  wrestle  for  eter- 
nal life.  They  warn  their  unconverted  companions  and  rela- 
tions of  their  fearful  condition,  while  in  a  Christless  state;  and 
they  plead  with  them  to  flee  the  wrath  to  come.  Their  con- 
duct excites  the  astonishment  of  unthinking  men,  many  of 
whom  style  them  fools  or  hypocrites,  and  every  stratagem  is  used 
to  entice  them  into  their  former  sinful  ways. 

When  sinners  are  savingly  converted,  and  taste  the  sweetness 
of  the  love  of  Christ,  O  how  they  love,  wonder  and  adore ! — 
They  feel  as  though  they  were  in  a  new  world.     They  tell 
their  Christian  friends  what  a  precious  Christ,  and  sweet  slva- 
tion  they  have  found.      With  tears  in  their  eyes  they  tell  their 
unconverted  friends,  in  the  language  of  heaven,  what  a  beauty 
and  fulness  they  see  in  the  fair  and  lovely  face  of  Jesus,  and  how 
willing  he  is  to  save  all  that  come  unto  God  by  him.     Such  lan- 
guage often  alarms  the  wicked,  and  strikes  more  pungent  convic- 
tion into  their  hearts,  than  all  the  preaching  they  have  ever  heard. 
But  here  it  should  be  observed,  there  is  a  w^ork  preparatory 
to  regeneration,  which  must  necessarily  precede  it,  yet  is  no 
part  of  its  essence.     As  in  Elijah's  vision,  "  a  great  and  strong 
wind  rent  the  mountains  and  hralie  in  pieces  the  rocks  before  the 
Lord;  hut  the  Lord  was  not  in  the  loind:  arid  after  the  wind  an 
earthquake;  but  the  Lord  was  not  in  the  earthquake:  and  after 
the   earthquake  a  fire;  but  the  Lord  was  not  in  the  fire:  and 
after  the  jire  a  still  small  voice'P  and  the  Lord  was  there.     So 
in  the  parable,  "^^e  are  told,  "  there  was  a  noise,  and,  behold,  a 
shaking,  and  the  bones  came  together,  bone  to  his  bone,  and  the 
sinews  and  the  flesh  came  up  iipon  them,  and  the  skin  covered  them 
above:  but  there  was  no  breath  in  themf''  therefore  they  were  still 
in  a  state  of  death.     And,  in  a  spiritual  sense,  when  the  mighty 
power  of  God  begins  to  move  upon  the  dry  bones,  the  sinner 
is  awakened,  and  alarmed  at  his  situation;  he  forsakes  his  sins 
and  wicked  companions;  he  associates  with  the  people  of  God; 
prays  in  secret  and  in  his  family;  regularly  attends  the  preach- 
ing of  the  gospel;  and  a  visible  change  takes  place  in  all  his 
conduct.     Still,  however,  he  is  in  a  state  of  spiritual  death. 
The  spirit  of  God  discovers  to  him  the  hidden  wickedness  of 
his  heart,  and  his  total  inability  to  think  a  good  thought,  or 
command  a  holy  desire.     Now  the  sinner  weeps  and  mourns 
over  his  miserable  condition;  with  vigor  he  opposes  the  horrid 
current  of  sin  and  inbred  corruption.     When  he  prays,  he  tries 
to  do  it  with  his  whole  heart;  when  he  hears  the  gospel  preach- 
ed, he  labors  to  be  affected  with  the  importance  of  divine  truth; 
but  still  he  is  destitute  of  spiritual  breath.     The  spirit  of  God 
discovers  to  him  that  his  whole  nature  is  sin,  and  that  his  best 
performances  and  desires  are  but  dross  and  dung;  and  now  he 
struggles  for  eternal  life,  as  a   drowning  man  for  relief,  and 


THE    DRY    BONKS,  49 

cries  for  mercy  as  n  condemned  criminal  for  a  pardon:  but  still 
he  is  in  a  state  of  death.  But  the  Holy  Spirit  sinks  the  dart  of 
conviction  deeper  into  his  heart,  and  convinces  him  of  his  un- 
belief and  utter  helplessness;  and  now  he  feels  himself  as  una- 
ble to  believe,  or  come  to  Christ,  as  a  dead  body  rotting  in  the 
grave  is  incapable  of  quickening  itself.  At  times  all  hopes  of 
mercy  seem  to  be  gone;  again  he  has  a  peradventure  the  Lord 
may  be  gracious.  At  one  time,  a  small  ray  of  hope  breaks  into 
his  mind,  and  again  dismal  clouds  of  midnight  darkness  sur- 
round him  on  every  side.  The  an'ows  of  the  Almighty  stick 
fast  in  his  heart,  and  their  poison  drinks  up  his  spirits.  The 
pains  of  hell  take  "tiold  of  him  with  a  fearful  looking  for  of 
judgment.  In  a  word,  the  distress  of  his  soul  is  such,  tha.t  none 
but  those  who  have  felt  it  can  describe.  See  him  falling  at  the 
feet  of  Sovereign  mercy,  dead  to  all  hope  in  himself,  and  strip- 
ped of  all  self  dependence ;  making  his  last  resolve,  that,  if  he 
should  be  damned,  it  will  be  trying  to  look  to  Jesus. 

Now,  like  the  dry  bones  when^  Hhe  sinezos  and  the  Jiesh  came 
up  upon  them^  and  the  skin  covered  them,''''  all  that  is  necessary,  is, 
the  breath  of  spiritual  life:  and  in  this  condition  neither  men 
nor  angels  can  help  him.  All  that  ministers  or  Christians  can 
do  for  him,  is,  to  address  him  in  the  language  of  Moses  to  the 
Israelites,  when  at  the  Red  Sea,  they  were  pursued  by  Pharaoh's 
mighty  army:  "  Stand,  still,  and  see  the  salvation  of  God.''' 

^'Then  said  he  unto  me,  Prophesy  unto  the  wind  and  say,  Thus 
saith  the  Lord  God,  Come  from  the  four  winds,  O  breath,  and 
breathe  upon  these  slaiii,  that  they  may  live.''''  This  prophesying 
to  the  four  winds,  seems  expressive  of  the  travailing  pangs  of 
Zion,  when  every  praying  soul  is  wrestling  with  God,  by  laying 
hold  of  his  word  and  promise,  vehemently  groaning  and  agoniz- 
ing in  the  spirit. 

The  prophet  proceeds:  "  So  I  prophesied  as  I  was  commanded. 
and  the  breath  came  upon  them,  and  they  lived  and  stood  up  tipon 
their  feet,  an  exceeding  great  army.''''  When  Jesus  Christ,  by 
whom  the  worlds  were  made,  and  at  whose  voice  the  raging  bil- 
lows of  the  sea  were  stilled,  speaks  the  word  of  life  to  the 
spiritually  dead  sinner;  when  he  unveils  to  him  his  beauty,  ful- 
ness and  all-sufficiency;  then  the  dawn  of  eternal  life  springs 
up  in  his  soul,  and  his  dreadful  load  of  sin  and  guilt  is  washed 
away,  and  lost  in  the  Red  Sea  of  redeeming  blood; — then  his 
heart  is  filled  with  the  peace  of  God,  and  he  experiences  "70?/ 
unspeakable  and  full  of  glory.''''  But  what  language  can  ex- 
press, or  what  figures  illustrate  the  wonders  of  this  astonishing 
change?  Suppose  that  the  earth  were  surrounded  with  the  most 
impenetrable  darkness,  and  in  a  moment  the  sun,  in  meridian 
brightness,  darts  his  rays  from  pole  to  pole,  and  deluges  the 
world  with  light;  tliis  would  be  but  a  faint  shadow  of  that 

9 


50  PARABLE    OF     THK    DRY    BONES. 

light  which  darts  into  the  soul  of  the  pardoned  sinner.  Now, 
the  language  of  his  heart,  and  also  often  of  his  lips,  is.  Wonder ! 
wonder!  wonder!  Glory!  glory!  glory!  Hallelujah!  O  what  a 
beauty,  what  an  excellency  I  see  in  Jesus.  The  tongue  of  an 
Archangel  cannot  describe  his  loveliness.  O  what  an  infinite 
fulness  I  see  in  Jesus,  for  every  guilty  sinner  who  will  come  to 
God  by  him.  Had  I  ten]  thousand  souls,  I  would  give  them  all 
to  Jesus.  Had  I  ten  thousand  lives,  they  would  all  be  devoted 
to  him.  I  feel  as  if  I  were  in  a  new  world.  All  nature  shines 
forth  the  glory  of  God.  His  precious  word,  how  sweet  it  is; 
yea,  it  is  sweeter  than  honey  and  the  hoiiey-comb.  O  that  I 
could  love  him  more,  that  I  was  more  like  him.  O  that  I  could 
fly  to  heaven  and  dwell  forever  with  him  there. 

Sweet  was  the  hour,  the  minutes  sweet  > 

When  my  beloved  me  did  meet, 
His  love  to  evidence : 

My  heart,  that  wounded  was  before, 

Kindly  he  bound, therein  he  did  pour 
Love's  healing  quintessence. 

Sweet  was  the  feast  my  heart  enjoyed, 
I  ate — I  drank — nor  was  I  cloyed, 

For  more  I  thirsted  still. 
Here  let  me  stay,  I  longing  prayed, 
Sure  this  is  Achor's  Vale,  I  said, 

Or  Holy  Tabor  Hill. 

The  Red  Sea  then  he  did  divide, 
And  quelled  the  mighty  tyrant's  pride, 

And  broke  his  chariot  strong. 
Thinking  he  would  assail  no  more, 
I  thought  I  was  safe  on  shore, 

I  sung  the  Hebrews'  song. 

I  sung  assured  of  Jesus'  love, 
Refreshed  with  manna  from  above, 

For  flesh  no  more  I  cried ; 
Warmed  by  the  sun's  enlivening  beams, 
I  laid  me  down  by  Shiloh's  streams, 

Content  and  satisfied. 


SERMON    V . 


THE  SURE  FOUNDATION. 


1^071  one  stone  shall  be  seven  eyes. — Zachariah  iii.  9. 


The  book  of  Zachariah  was  written  shortly  after  the  return  of 
the  Jews  from  the  Babylonish  captivity;  perhaps  about  the  time 
when  Zerubbabel  and  Joshua  were  authorized  to  begin  the  build- 
ing  of  the  temple.      At  this  period  the    church  of  God  was 
emerging  from  a  state  of  desolatipn  and  distress.     Although 
God  had  hid  his  face  from  his  people  for  a  moment,  yet,  in  great 
mercy  he  was  now  returnmg  for  their  deliverance.     In  this 
chapter  the  distressed  state  of  the  church  or  Jewish  nation,  and 
their  gracious  deliverance,  are  represented  under   the  type  of 
Joshua,  the  high  priest.     As  the  administration  of  the  rites  and 
ceremonies  of  that  church  were  committed  to  him,  therefore  he 
is  taken  for  its  typical  representative.     In  the  first  and  second 
verses  it  is  said:  '•'■And  he  showed  me  Joshua,  the  high  priest, 
standing  before  the  angel  of  the  Lord,  and  Satan  standing  at  his 
right  hand  to  resist  him.     And  the  Lord  said  unto  Satan,  the  Lord 
rebuke,  thee  O  Satan,  even  the  Lord  that  hath  choseyi  Jerusalem,  re- 
buke thee.     Is  not  this  a  brand  plucked  out  of  the  fire  ?     This,  no 
doubt,  points  out  the  believing  Jews  undertaking  to  build  the 
second  temple,  and  earnestly  seeking  the  blessing  of  God,  while 
Satan  appears  as  their  adversary  and  accuser,  uses  malicious 
endeavors  to  discourage  them  from  their  work,  and  oppose  them 
by  Sanballat,  and  other  instruments  of  the  same  kind.      In  the 
third,  fourth,  and  fifth  verses  it  is  said;  "  JVbr/j  Joshua  was  clothed 
in  filthy  garments,  and  stood  before  the  angel,  and  he  answered 
and  spake  unto  those  that  stood  before  him,  saying,    Take  away 
the  filthy  garinents  from  him.     And  unto  him  he  said.  Behold  I 
have  caused  thine  iniquity  to  pass  from  thee,  and  I  luill  clothe  thee 
with  a  change  of  raiment.     And  I  said ,  Let  them,  set  a  fair  mitre 
on  his  head;  so  they  set  a  fair  mitre  upon  his  head,  and  clothed  him 
with  garments." 


52  THE    SURK    FOUNDATION. 

The  filthy  garments  are  emblematical  of  the  sinfulness  of 
Joshua  and  his  people,  and  the  miseries  they  endured;  but  these 
arc  all  removed,  by  causing  their  iniquities  to  pass  from  them, 
and  by  restoring  them  to  the  favor  of  God.     The  fair  mitre,  set 
upon  the  head  of  Joshua,  may  signify  that  the  Jews  should  again 
enjoy  the  privileges  peculiar  to  their  church,  and  that  the  ordi- 
nances of  God's  house  should  be  administered  in  their  former 
purity.     In  the  eight  verse  it  is  said:  ''^  Hear  nozu,  0  Joshua,  the 
high  priest^  these  and  thy  fellows  that  sit  before  thee,  for  they  are 
men  wondered  at;  for  behold,  I  will  bring  forth  my  servant,  The 
Branch  f  that  is,  they  are  called  upon  to  view  the  sure  founda- 
tion on  which  the  hopes  of  their  temporal  and  eternal  salvation 
are  built,  viz.  Christ,  who  is  here  called  God's  servant.     As 
God,  he  is  the  Father's  equal ;  but  as  mediator,  he  is  the  servant 
whom  God  hath   sent  into  the  world,  to  finish  the  work  he 
gave  him  to  do.     He  is  termed  The  Branch,  in  reference  to  his 
incarnation,  as  he  was  born  of  a  woman  and  sprung  from  the 
root  of  Jesse;  for  although  he  is  David's  Creator  and  Lord,  yet 
he  is  his  son  according  to  the  flesh.      This  is  the  rock  of  ages, 
the  precious  corner-stone  upon  which  God  has  laid  the  ever- 
lasting salvation  of  his  people.     "  Behold  the  stone  iha,t  I  have 
laid  before  Joshtta.      Upon  <^e  stone  shall  be  seven  etjes,^''     In 
these  words, 

1st.  We  have  a  figure  by  which  the  stability  of  the  merits  and 
mediation  of  Christ  is  pointed  out;  he  is  the  foundation  of  his 
people's  faith,  and  is  justly  compared  to  a  stone,  whicl>  of  all 
other  materials,  is  most  durable. 

2d.  We  liave  something  extraordinary  predicated  of  this  me- 
taphor: "f/pon  one  stone  shall  be  seven  eyes.''''  This  points  out 
the  omniscience  of  Jesus,  his  continual  care  of  his  people,  or 
the  wonders  of  his  person,  incarnation,  and  mediation,. which 
attract  the  attention  and  admiration  of  angels  and  men. 

In  further  attending  to  the  words,  we  shall, 

I.  Show  in  what  respects  Christ  may  be  compared  to  a  stone. 

II.  What  is  said  of  this  stone. 

I.  Show  in  what  respects  Christ  may  be  compared  to  a  stone. 

1st.-  A  stone  is  always  chosen  as  the  most  permanent  founda- 
tion of  every  building;  so  Christ,  the  second  person  of  the  ado- 
rable Trinity,  is  the  sure  foundation  upon  which  God  has  laid  the 
eternal  concerns  of  his  glory. 

When  Adam  and  all  his  race  fell  into  a  state  of  sin  and  mise- 
ry, had  the  question  been  proposed.  How  can  fallen  man  be  re- 
deemed from  his  ruined  condition,  and  the  perfections  of  Jehovah 
glorified  in  his  salvation?  the  question  would  have  silenced  all 
the  heavenly  host.  Had  Gabriel  been  chosen  as  the  corner- 
stone of  this  new^  building,  its  infinite  weight  would  have  sunk 
him  to  the  bottom  of  hell.     No  created  being  could  have  endur- 


THE    SURE    FOUNDATION.  53 

ed  the  wrath  of  God  due  to  the  sins  of  the  whole  elect  world, 
or  have  borne  the  stroke  of  the  sword  of  divine  justice.  But 
the  wisdom  of  God  found  out  a  way  of  escape  for  poor  lost  sin- 
ners, and  lays  help  upon  one  '•'•mighty  to  save.''''  '•'•For  God  so  loved 
the  world,,  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  son,  that  whosoever  believeth 
in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life.'''' 

This  is  the  corner-stone  on  which  God  has  laid  all  the  con- 
cerns of  his  glory,  as  it  respects  the  salvation  of  an  elect  world. 
^^Behold,  I  lay  in  Zion  for  a  foundation  a  stone — a  tried  stone — a 
precious  corner-stone,  a  sure  foundation.^''  Peter  styles  him,  "a 
chief  corner-stone,  elect,  precious.'^'' 

He  is  a  tried  stone.  He  was  tried  to  the  utmost,  and  he  stood 
the  test.  This  stone  was  cast  into  the  burning  fiery  furnace  of 
God's  wrath,  which  would  have  consumed  innumerable  worlds, 
but  behold,  it  comes  out  unhurt,  bright  and  glorious.  It  is  then 
translated  into  the  paradise  of  God,  and  placed  on  the  eternal 
throne,  where  it  shines  with  a  beauty  and  splendor  that  would 
eclipse  ten  thousand  suns.  It  is  a  precious  stone,  for  it  is  the 
very  essence  of  Deity;  therefore  it  is  a  sure  foundation,  suffi- 
cient to  bear  the  whole  infinite  weight  of  divine  glorj^,  and  the 
salvation  of  the  whole  elect  world,  who,  by  faith,  found  their 
hopes  of  everlasting  happiness  on  this  sure  basis;  and  for  this 
purpose  it  was  chosen  and  set  apart  by  infinite  wisdom,  millions 
of  ages  before  men  or  angels  were  brought  into  being.  It  was, 
indeed,  set  at  naught  by  the  self-righteous  Scribes  and  Pharisees, 
and  it  is  daily  despised  by  formal  professors  and  unregenerate 
sinners;  but  God  has  chosen  it,  and  he  has  laid  it  in  Zion,  as  the 
foundation  of  his  declarative  glory  and  of  his  people's  faith  and 
hope.  And  upon  this  precious  stone  all  the  inferior  ones,  that 
are  dug  out  of  the  black  quarry  of  nature's  darkness,  are  laid, 
when  they  are  hewed  and  fitly  framed  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  And 
when  all  God's  chosen  followers  are  brought  home,  the  heaven- 
ly building  will  be  completed,  and  the  angels  of  heaven  shall 
rejoice  over  it,  saying,  '•'•Grace,  grace  unto  iV 

2d.  This  metaphor  will  appear  proper,  when  we  consider 
that  it  was  common  for  the  patriarchs  to  put  up  a  pillar  or  stone, 
as  a  lasting  memorial  of  some  extraordinary  event.  Hence  Ja- 
cob set  up  a  pillar  at  Bethel,  in  token  of  the  manifestation  of  the 
divine  glory,  he  had  at  thr.t  place ;  and  Joshua  set  up  a  pillar  of 
twelve  stones  at  Jordan,  in  memory  of  the  dividing  of  the  wa- 
ters before  the  ark  of  the  covenant.  So  Jesus  Christ  is  a  pre- 
cious stone,  laid  in  Zion  as  an  everlasting  memorial  of  the  love 
of  God.  He  stands  before  the  throne  as  an  intercessor  for  be- 
lieving sinners,  presents  his  bleeding  w6unds  to  his  Father,  and 
declares  that  it  is  his  will  to  have  all  the  blessings  of  his  purchase 
applied  to  his  people.  There  he  pleads  for  them  continually; 
and  when  God,  the  Father,  looks  upon  Jesus,  he  remembers  his 


64  THK    5UKK    FOUNDATION. 

everlasting  purpose  of  mercy  to  guilty  sinners.  When  God  de- 
livered Noah  and  his  family  from  the  vv^aters  of  the  deluge,  he 
placed  the  rainbow  in  the  clouds  as  a  lasting  memorial  of  his  co- 
venant, that  he  will  no  more  destroy  the  earth  by  the  waters  of 
a  deluge.  So  when  he  looks  upon  Jesus  Christ,  who  may  be 
styled  the  rainbow  of  the  new  covenant,  he  views  him  as  the 
everlasting  memorial  of  his  sovereign,  free  and  unmerited  love 
to  believing  sinners. 

3d.  That  Christ  with  propriety  may  be  compared  to  a  stone, 
will  appear,  when  we  consider  that  kings  in  former  times,  often 
engraved  their  laws  on  tables  of  stone,  thereby  intimating  their 
durability;  hence  the  moral  law  was  engraven  by  the  finger  of 
God  upon  two  tables  of  stone ;  and  the  will  of  Gqd  concerning 
lost  sinners,  is  engraven  in  legible  characters  upon  Jesus  Christ, 
the  tried  stone.  Here  you  may  read  the  wisdom,  love  and  mer- 
cy of  Jehovah,  and  the  purity  and  strictness  of  the  divine  law. 
On  this  stone  you  may  read  how"  mercy  and  truth  met  together, 
how  righteousness  and  peace  kissed  each  other.  Here  you  may 
read  the  promises  of  God  to  believers,  suited  to  every  age  and 
condition.  And  here  you  may  see  the  way  to  heaven  written 
in  the  red  lines  of  Immanuel's  blood. 

4th.  The  propriety  of  the  metaphor  will  further  appear,  when 
we  consider  that  the  rock  which  followed  Israel  in  the  wilder- 
ness, was  a  type  of  Christ,  the  Rock  of  Ages.  At  the  command 
of  God,  Moses  smote  the  rock,  and  a  stream  of  water  burst  out 
which  supplied  the  whole  congregation,  and  followed  them  dur- 
ing their  pilgrimage.  So  God,  the  Father,  smote  the  Rock  of 
Ages  with  the  flaming  sword  of  justice,  and  the  streams  of  sal- 
vation burst  forth  like  a  mighty  river.  Here  thirsty  souls  are  " 
invited  to  drink,  and  diseased  souls  to  wash  and  be  made  whole; 
— here  pardon,  peace  and  eternal  life  flow  in  mighty  torrents, 
and  every  man  and  woman  is  invited  to  drink  without  money 
and  without  price.  This  is  the  '''•pure  river  of  zvater  of  ///e,  clear 
as  crystal,  tohich  proceeds  out  of  the  throne  of  God  and  of  the 
Lamb,^''  and  follows  the  Christian  pilgrims  through  the  journey 
of  life,  from  which  they  often  obtain  a  refreshing  draught,  and 
grow  from  strength  to  strength,  until  they  arrive  in  heaven. 

II.  What  is  said  of  this  stone.  It  is  said  there  shaW  be  seven 
eyes  upon  it.  Here  we  have  a  definite  for  an  indefinite  number. 
The  number  seven  in  Scripture  sometimes  signifies  many;  thus 
in  the  Revelation  it  is  said:  '•'•These  things  saith  he  that  hath  the 
seven  .spirits  of  God.''''  By  the  seven  spirits  we  are  to  understand 
the  diversified  operations  of  the  Spirit  of  God;  so  the  seven 
eyes  upon  one  stone  signify  many.  Divines  are  not  agreed 
whether  the  seven  eyes  upon  one  stone  are  to  be  taken  as  ma- 
ny eyes  engraven  upon  it,  or  whether  the  stone  attracts  the  at- 
tention of  many.     We  think  that  both  opinions  are  correct.     If 


rHK    SUHli:     FOUNDATION.  55 

we  take  it  in  the  first  sense,  then  the  metaphor  points  out  the 
tender  care  and  watchfuhiess  of  Jesus  Christ  over  his  church. 
He  possesses  the  boundless  wisdom  of  God, — and  this  is  a  ne- 
cessary qualification  for  his  otfice  of  head  of  the  church.  By 
his  omniscience  he  views  all  things,  from  everlasting  to  everlas- 
ting. At  one  glance  he  can  behold  the  state  of  every  creature 
in  the  universe,  and  in  a  moment  he  can  deliver  his  people  from 
difficulties  and  dangers.  He  is  compassionate;  the  weakest 
believers  are  as  dear  to  hin>  as  the  apple  of  his  eye ;  he  knows 
all  their  sorrows,  and  he  shelters  them  under  the  wings  of  his 
love. 

But  if  we  take  the  metaphor  in  the  last  sense,  as  attracting 
the  attention  of  many,  then  with  propriety  it  may  be  said,  there 
are  many  eyes  upon  this  stone. 

1st.  The  eye  of  the  Eternal  Father  is  upon  it.  He  views  it 
with  ineffable  delight,  because  it  is  the  foundation  upon  which 
he  has  built  the  eternal  weight  of  his  glory,  as  it  is  manifested 
in  the  redemption  of  lost  sinners.  He  sees  all  his  perfections 
glorified  in  the  obedience  and  death  of  his  son.  He  is  pleased 
with  Jesus  for  his  righteousness'  sake;  he  is  pleased  with  the 
whole  scheme  of  salvation;  and  he  is  pleased  with  the  sinner 
who  has  fled  to  Christ  for  pardon;  and  who  builds  his  hope  of 
heaven  on  this  tried  corner-stone,  because  this  brings  a  full 
tribute  of  glory  to  all  the  perfections  of  God;  therefore  Jeho- 
vah can  look  with  approbation  upon  the  sinner  who  is  clothed 
with  the  righteousness  of  Christ. 

2d.  The  eyes  of  believers  are  upon  this  stone ;  and  they  view 
it  with  delight,  because  it  is  the  sure  foundation  upon  which 
they  have  built  their  hopes  of  eternal  life.  Their  ''Hife  is  hid 
with  Christ  in  God..^^  He  is  the  dearest  object  of  their  love;  in 
him  they  can  meet  and  hold  sweet  communion  with  God,  the 
Father;  and  of  his  fulness  they  all  receive  grace  for  grace;  in  a 
word,  they  are  well  pleased  with  Christ,  for  he  is  their  portion 
and  their  all. 

3d.  The  eyes  of  angels  are  upon  this  stone.  The  union  of 
the  divine  and  human  natures  in  the  person  of  Christ,  his  incar- 
nation, life,  sufferings,  death  and  resurrection,  and  his  complete 
atonement,  are  the  subjects  of  their  wonder  and  admiration; 
hence,  saith  the  apostle  Peter,  '■'which  things  the  angels  desire  to 
look  into.-'' 

4th.  ^he  eyes  of  devils  are  upon  this  stone.  Satan  looks 
upon  it  with  horror;  for  this  stone  fell  upon  him  and  bruised 
him,  and  will  shortly  destroy  his  kingdom  and  overthrow  his 
power. 

5th.  The  eyes  of  damned  sinners  in  hell  shall  be  upon  this 
stone.  They  shall  behold  it  with  eternal  shame  and  confusion; 
like  Baalam,  they  shall  see  it,  but  not  nigh;  they  shall  look  upon  it 


56  THE    SURE    FOUNDATION. 

through  the  flames  of  hell;  they  shall  see  this  precious  corner- 
stone laid  in  Zion,  bearing  an  infinite  weight  of  glory,  and  all 
the  saints  of  God,  lining  stones,  built  upon  this  sure  foundation; 
from  the  deep  pit  of  Tophet,  they  shall  see  Jesus  in  heaven, 
seated  on  a  throne  of  glory,  surrounded  by  all  the  redeemed  of 
God,  shining  brighter  than  the  sun  when  he  shineth  in  his 
strength;  but  they  shall  be  forever  shut  out. 


SERMON    VI. 


CHRIST  THE  AUTHOR  AND  FINISHER  OF  THE  LIFE  OF 

GRACE. 


/  am  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  beginning  and  the  end^  the  first  and 
the  /as^— ^Rev.  xxii.  13. 


The  God  man  Christ  Jesus  is  all  in  all  to  every  believer. 
What  Micah  absurdly  said  when  the  Danites  took  away  his 
idols — ^''They  have  taken  away  my  Gods,  and  what  have  I  more?'''' 
may  be  justly  said  of  Jesus  Christ  by  every  believer.  Take 
away  Christ  from  him,  and  you  deprive  him  of  his  all;  for  he  is 
the  ^^ Alpha  and  Omrga„  the  beginning  and  the  end,  the  Jirst  and 
the  last'^  of  his  whole  salvation.  View  the  plan  of  redemption, 
from  its  first  origin  in  the  eternal  councils  of  God,  until  its  ac- 
complishment in  the  glorification  of  all  the  ransomed  Church; — 
examine  the  experience  of  every  new-born  soul,  his  election, 
justification,  sanctification  and  complete  glorification, — and  Je- 
sus Christ  ^Hs  the  beginning  and  the  end  of  the  whole.''' 

Christ,  as  their  surety,  paid  the  whole  of  their  debt  to  the 
law  and  justice  of  God,  and  with  his  blood  and  dying  groans  he 
purchased  their  salvation.  He  is  their  ark  of  safety,  where  the 
storms  of  God's  wrath  can  never  reach  them.  He  is  the  rock 
that  supports  them — the  fountain  that  cleanses  them  from  the 
pollution  of  sin — and  the  food  by  which  their  new  natures  are 
fed.  He  is  their  prophet,  who  teaches  them  tliose  lessons  by 
which  they  are  qualified  for  the  enjoyment  of  heaven.  He  is 
their  priest,  who  has  atoned  for  all  their  sins.  He  is  their  advo- 
cate, who  continually  intercedes  in  their  behalf;  and  he  is  their 
king,  who  subdues  them  to  himself,  and  gives  them  the  victory 
over  all  their  enemies.  "jHe  is  made  of  God  unto  them,  wisdom, 
righteousness,  sanctijication  and  redemption,'"'  The  pardon  of  sin, 
peace  with  God,  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  all  the  healing  and  sanc- 
tifying influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  their  everlasting  glori- 
fication, flow^  to  them  through  the  red  streams  of  the  blood  of 

10 


58  CHRIST  THE  AUTHOR  AND 

Christ.  Indeed,  every  morsel  of  bread  they  eat,  and  every  cup 
of  water  they  drink,  were  purchased  by  the  death  of  Christ, 
who  is  the  boundless  ocean  from  whence  all  their  temporal,  spi- 
ritual, and  eternal  blessings  flow.  How  precious,  then,  must 
Christ  be  to  all  true  believers.  Take  Christ  out  of  the  Bible, 
and  it  ceases  to  interest  them.  Let  Christ  withdraw  from  their 
souls  the  light  of  his  countenance,  and  they  are  miserable. 
Take  Christ  out  of  heaven,  and  it  would  be  no  heaven  to  them; 
for  he  is  the  ''Alpha  and  0?nega,  the  beginning  and  the  end,  the 
jirst  and  the  last.^'' 

By  the  life  of  grace,  we  are  to  understand  that  principle  which 
is  implanted  in  the  soul,  in  the  work  of  regeneration,  by  the 
Holy  Spirit;  and  those  who  are  subjects  of  it  are  said  to  be 
'•'born  again^'"'  or  to  become  "a  new  creature.''''  This  principle 
in  Scripture  is  often  styled,  "TAe  new  nature''' — ''The  new  man-^ 
— "Christ  in  the  souV 

This  gracious  principle  can  be  implanted  by  nothing  less  than 
that  "almighty  power  which  raised  Jesus  Christ  from  the  dead.'''' 

This  principle  of  spiritual  life  is  like  the  morning  light,  that 
increases  more  and  more  until  the  perfect  day,  and  the  believer 
in  whose  soul  it  is  implanted,  grows  from  strength  to  strength, 
until  "he  arrives  unto  a  perfect  man,  unto  the  measure  of  the 
statu7'e  of  the  fulness  of  Christ.'^  And  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is 
"the  beginning  and  the  end,''^  the  author  and  finisher  of  this  life 
of  grace,  because, 

L  He  purchased  it. 

IL  He  is  the  author  of  it. 

IIL  He  is  its  essence. 

IV.  He  supports  it. 

V.  He  finishes  it. 

I.  He  purchased  it,  because,  by  his  mediation,  an  offended 
God  and  offending  sinners  may  be  reconciled,  and  sin  may  be 
pardoned  consistently  with  the  glory  of  the  divine  attributes, 
and  the  honor  and  dignity  of  the  divine  law.  Hence  he  is  said 
"to  have  made  jyeace  through  the  blood  of  his  cross,  and  to  recon- 
cile all  things  unto  himself,  ichether  they  be  things  in  eai'th  or 
thbigs  in  heaven.'"'  Again:  "When  ive  were  enemies  zee  were  re- 
conciled  to  God  by  the  death  of  his  son.''''  By  the  fall  of  Adam, 
all  the  human  race  fell  under  the  curse  of  the  law;  they  became 
enemies  to  God,  bond  slaves  to  the  Devil,  and  obnoxious  to  all 
the  fiery  torments  of  hell  forever.  Justice  cried  for  their  blood, 
and  demanded  a  full  satisfaction;  and  the  truth  of  God  stood 
engaged  for  the  infliction  of  the  threatened  penalty.  How  sin 
could  be  punished,  and  the  sinner  saved,  was  a  question  which 
would  have  puzzled  all  the  angels  of  heaven,  and  struck  the  uni- 
verse with  eternal  silence.  But,  lo,  to  the  wonder  of  all  ador- 
ing worlds.  Jesus  steps  into  the  sinner's  place — he  opens  his 


f'lNISHEK    OF    THE    LIFE    OF    GRACE.  39 

breast  tothe  flaming  sword  of  justice — and  it  is  cooled  in  his 
heart's  blood.     He  endures  in  his  own  person  the  hell  of  the 
whole  elect  world,  and  at  one  draught  he  drinks  that  cup  of 
wrath  which  must  have  been  their  portion  forever.     Hence 
those  who  are  saved  by  his  blood,  are  styled  his  "5eec?,"  and  the 
Hravail  of  his  soulf  because  his  blood  is  the  fountain  from 
whence  their  eternal  redemption  flows.     This  is  evident  from 
his  own  words:  "Fe?77i/,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  except  a  corn  of 
zvheatfall  into  the  ground  and  die,  it  ahideth  alone;  but  if  it  die, 
it  bringeth  forth  rnitch  fruit.'"'     If  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  had  not 
died,  none  of  the  sons  and  daughters  of  Adani  would  have  en- 
tered the  kingdom  of  heaven.     But  by  his  dying,  and  lying  en- 
tombed in  the  earth,  he  has  produced  a  large  increase.     One 
DYING  Christ  has  brought  forth  many  millions  of  living  Christians. 
His  blood  is  the  seed  of  the  Church,  which  in  every  age  of  the 
world  has  generated  a  plentiful  crop,  and  will  continue  to  do  so 
from  age  to  age,  until  time  shall  be  no  more.     Search  after  the 
roots  of  the  tender  plants  of  righteousness,  and  you  will  find 
them  in  the  blood  of  Christ.     It  is  this  which  gives  being  to 
the  heavenly  principle  in  believers'  souls,  and   nourishes  and 
strengthens  it  until,  like  full  ears  of  corn,  they  are  ripened  for 
immortal  glory. 

II.  He  is  the  author  of  the  life  of  grace;  hence  he  is  styled, 
'T/ie  author  and  finisher  of  faith'^ — "TAe  resurrection  and  the 
life'' — "  The  icay,  the  tnith  cmd  the  life''' — and  "  The  author  of 
eternal  salvation  unto  all  them  that  obey  him.'''' 

It  is  true,  that,  in  the  economy  of  redemption,  the  application 
of  Christ's  purchase  to  guilty  souls,  is  attributed  to  the  Holy 
Ghost,  the  third  person  of  the  adorable  Trinity;  yet  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  may,  with  propriety,  be  termed  the  author  and  fin- 
isher of  the  life  of  grace,  which  will  appear  from  these  conside- 
rations. 

1st.  By  his  blood  and  merits  he  purchased  all  the  operations 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  by  which  believing  sinners  are  effectually 
called,  justified  and  sanctified;  and  smce  his  ascension  into  hea- 
ven, he  has  sent  the  Holy  Spirit,  to  apply  his  purchased  redemp- 
tion; hence  he  is  styled,  Hhe  Sjnrit  of  Christ.'''' 

2d.  He  is  the  cause  of  all  the  awakening  and  convicting  in- 
fluences of  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  he  is  the  fountain  to  which 
these  influences  lead  guilty  sinners  for  pardon  and  reconciliation 
to  God.  The  design  of  all  the  awakening  operations  of  the  Ho- 
ly vSpirit  is  to  lead  sinners  to  Christ. 

When  the  Holy  Spirit  convinces  the  sinner  of  his  guilt  and 
misery,  shows  him  the  horrible  and  damnable  condition  he  is  in, 
and  fills  his  mind  with  anguish  and  distress,  the  design  is  to 
make  him  feel  his  desperate  need  of  Christ.  When  he  convin- 
ces him  of  the  dreadful  wickedness  of  his  heart,  raging  with  the 


60  CHRIST  THE  AUTHOR  AND 

malice  of  hell,  and  filled  with  pride,  hypocrisy,  unbelief,  and 
atheism,  it  is  to  prepare  his  soul  for  the  reception  of  Christ. 
When  the  poor  convicted  sinner  is  bowed  down  to  the  gates  of 
death,  made  to  feel  the  sparks  of  hell  in  his  conscience,  and 
brought  to  the  brink  of  despair,  it  is  to  influence  him  to  be  wil- 
ling to  fly  to  Christ.  When  he  is  relieved  from  all  the  horrors 
of  an  unconverted  state,  Christ  is  the  author  and  efficient  cause 
of  his  deliverance ;  he  is  the  lovely  object  that  delights  his  heart, 
the  source  of  all  his  joy,  and  the  subject-matter  of  all  his  songs 
of  praise. 

The  same  almighty  voice  which  called  v/orMs  and  systems  of 
worlds  into  being,  and  called  dead  Lazai-us  from  his  grave,  also 
calls  the  condemned  and  dcspan-ing  sinner  from  death  unto  life. 
Christ  is  the  almighty  Saviour,  who  snatches  the  sinner  as  a 
brand  from  the  burning.  He  is  the  almighty  Conqueror,  who 
breaks  the  bonds  of  deatli,  and  rescues  the  captive  soul  from  the 
jaws  of  the  roaring  lion  of  hell. 

He  who  said,  '•^Let  there  he  light,  and  there  was  light,''''  speaks 
peace  to  the  troubled  conscience,  removes  the  horrible  cloud  of 
midnight  darkness  from  the  mind,  and  fills  the  soul  with  joy  un- 
speakable and  full  of  glory.  He,  who,  in  the  days  of  his  flesh, 
cast  out  devils,  opened  the  eyes  of  the  blind,  and  raised  the  dead 
now  cures  all  the  murdering  diseases  of  the  soul;  he  binds  up 
the  broken  heart,  and  eflfectually  removes  the  deadly  poison  in- 
fused into  the  heart  of  man  by  that  old  serpent  the  Devil.  And 
he  is  the  author  of  all  those  precious  graces  implanted  in  the 
believer^  by  the  Holy  Spirit. 

A  view  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ,  be- 
gets the  new  nature,  forms  the  image  of  Christ  in  the  soul,  and 
impresses  all  the  moral  attributes  of  God  upon  the  heart.  •''But 
we  all,  ivith  open  face  beholding,  as  in  a  glass,  the  glory  of  the 
Lord,  are  changed  into  the  same  image  from  glory  to  glory,  even 
as  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord.'''' 

A  spiritual  and  experimental  knowledge  of  the  personal  glo- 
ry, suitableness,  and  boundless  sufficiency  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  in  his  divine  and  human  natures,  his  offices  and  endear- 
ing characters  and  relations,  is  the  cause  of  a  saving,  justifying 
faith;  hence  it  is  said:  '•''By  his  knowledge,  shall  my  righteous  ser- 
vant justify  many.''''  To  the  believer  he  appears  in  all  the  amia- 
ble excellencies  that  the  divine  and  human  natures  possess. — 
The  first  faith's  view  of  his  lovely  face,  wins  all  the  affections 
of  the  heart;  he  appears  to  the  believing  sinner  exactly  suited 
to  his  wretched  and  helpless  condition,  and  able  to  save  to  the 
very  uttermost  degree  of  guilt  and  misery;  therefore  the  lan- 
guage of  his  heart  is,  He  is  such  a  Saviour  as  I  need.  None 
but  Christ.     Had  I  ten  thousand  souls,  he  should  have  them  all. 


Finisher  of  the  life  of  grace.  61 

A  view  of  Christ  etVectually  humbles  the  soul,  lays  it  in  the 
dust,  and  fills  it  with  shame  and  self-loathing.  "/  have  heard  of 
thee  by  the  hearing  of  the  ear^  hut  now  mine  eye  seeth  thee;  where- 
fore I  abhor  myself^  and  repent  in  dust  and  ashes.''''  Again  saith 
the  prophet  Isaiah:  "/  saw  also  the  Lord  sitting  upon  a  throne^ 
high  and  lifted  up,  and  his  train  filled  the  temple.  Above  it  stood 
the  seraphims.  Each  one  had  six  wings.  With  twain  he  covered 
his  face,  and  with  twain  he  covered  his  feet,  and  with  twain  he  did 
fly;  and  one  cried  unto  another,  and  said,  Holy,  holy,  holy  is  the 
Lord  of  hosts !  The  whole  earth  is  full  of  his  glory ! — And  the 
posts  of  the  door  moved  at  the  voice  of  him  that  cried,  and  the 
house  was  filled  with  smoke.  Then  I  said.  Woe  is  me,  for  I  am 
undone,  because  I  am  a  man  of  unclean  lips,  and  I  dwell  in  the 
midst  of  a  people  of  unclean  lips;  for  mine  eyes  have  seen  the 
King,  the  Lord  of  hosts  J''  Give  the  soul  one  view  of  the  glory 
of  the  divine  attributes,  as  they  shine  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ, 
and  that  moment  it  sinks  into  nothing  before  the  Eternal  All; 
for  it  is  so  surrounded  with  the  transcendant  brightness  of  the 
divine  glory,  that  it  feels  lost  in  the  shoreless  and  fathomless 
ocean. 

A  view  of  the  love  of  God  manifested  in  Christ,  gives  the 
believing  sinner  a  most  affecting  sense  of  the  evil  of  sin,  and 
melts  his  heart  into  floods  of  penitential  sorrow.  '■'•They  shall 
*oA;  upon  me  whom  they  have  pierced,  and  they  shall  mourn  for 
%im  as  one  mourneth  for  his  only  son,  and  shall  be  in  bitterness 
for  him  as  one  that  is  in  bitterness  for  his  Jirst-bom.^^  When  the 
penitent  sinner  has  a  faith's  view  of  that  Jesus,  whom  he  has 
so  often  pierced  and  trampled  under  foot,  then  his  heart  is 
wrung  with  anguish,  and  he  cries  out  with  penitent  Ephraim: 
^'What  have  I  to  do  any  more  with  idols  P^  Now,  the  thought  of 
ever  committing  another  sin,  is  worse  than  death  itself. 

A  view  of  the  infinite  perfections  of  God,  manifested  in 
Christ,  is  the  cause  of  all  true  love  to  God.  The  reason  why 
sinners,  in  an  unconverted  state,  do  not  love  God,  is,  because 
they  are  blind;  for  Satan,  who  is  "  the  God  of  this  world,  has 
blinded  their  minds,  lest  the  glorious  gospel  of  Christ,  who  is  the 
image  of  God,  should  shine  unto  them.''''  But  no  sooner  does  the 
"  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Christ 
.  Jesus,^''  'shine  into  their  souls,  than  they  are  enraptured  with  his 
excellency,  and  their  hearts  are  filled  with  his  love.  Now  the 
greatest  earthly  splendors,  jewels,  crowns,  thrones  and  scep- 
tres, appear  mean  and  contemptible  as  they  toys  of  children, 
when  compared  with  the  resplendent  glories  of  Immanuel. 
Let  the  most  malignant  infidel,  or  the  most  profane  sinner  on  the 
earth,  have  but  one  faith's  view  of  the  lovely  face  of  Jesus, — 
that  moment  his  heart  is  captivated,  and  all  the  devils  in  hell  can 
not  keep  him  from  Christ.      He  is  the  "  Alpha  and  Omega,  the 


62  CHRIST    THK    AUTHOR   AND 

begiiming  and  the  end,  the  first  and  the  lasf''   of  the  whole  life 
of  grace;  for, 

III.  He  is  the  essence  of  it.  In  many  passages  of  scripture 
he  is  denominated  "  Xz/e,"  or  "  The  Life.''''  These  expressions 
refer  to  both  the  life  of  grace,  and  to  the  life  of  glory,  which  *he 
communicates  to  the  souls  of  his  people;  hence  he  says:  "/am 
the  way  and  the  truth  and  the  life.  No  man  conieth  unto  the  Father 
but  by  Twe."  Again  it  is  said:  "TFAe^z  Christ,  who  is  our  life, 
shall  appeal^,  then  shall  ye  also  appear  with  him  in  glory;''*  and 
"  /  am  crucified  with  Christ,  nevertheless  I  live;  yet  not  I,  but 
Christ  live.th  in  me." 

That  Christ  is  the  very  essence  of  that  principle  of  spiritual 
life,  which  is  implanted  in  the  souls  of  all  true  believers,  is  evi- 
dent from  the  consideration  that  their  whole  salvation  is  de- 
rived from  him,  as  their  mediator,  surety  and  covenant  head:  for, 

The  Death  of  Christ  is  the  foundation  of  their  reconcilia- 
tion to  God.  "  For  if  when  we  were  enemies,  we  were  reconciled 
to  God  by  the  death  of  his  son;  much  more,  being  reconciled,  we 
shall  be  saved  by  his  life.'''' 

The  Righteousness  of  Christ  is  the  foundation  of  their  justi- 
fication before  God.  "  Being  justified  freely  by  his  grace, 
through  the  redemption  that  is  in  Jesus  Christ,  whom  God  hath  set 
forth  to  be  apropiation,  nhrough  faith  in  Im'BTood;  to  declare  his 
righteousness  for  the  remission  of  sins  that  are  past,  through  the 
forbearance  of  God; — to  declare,  I  say,  at  this  time  his  righteous- 
ness;  that  he  might  be  just  and  the  justifier  of  him  that  believeth 
in  Jesus.'''' 

The  Merits  of  Christ  constitute  the  foundation  of  their 
peace  with  God.  '•'•  Being  justified  by  faith,  we  have  peace  with 
God  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.'''' 

Christ  formed  in  them,  is  the  foundation  of  their  hope  of 
heaven.     "  Christ  in  you  the  hope  of  glory.'''' 

The  Blood  of  Christ  procures  their  sanctification.  "  In 
that  day  there  shall  be  a  fountain  opened  to  the  house  of  David, 
and  to  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem,  for  sin  and  for  unclean- 
ness."  ^^  These  are  they  which  came  out  of  great  tribulation,  and 
have  washed  their  robes,  and  mode  them  white,  in  the  blood  of 
the  Lamb.''"' 

Their  Union  with  Christ  is  the  foundation  of  their  commun- 
ion with  God.  "  Jesus  said,  If  any  man  love  mc,  he  will  keep  my 
word;  and  my  Father  xoill  love  him,  and  we  will  come  unto  him, 
and  make  our  abode  with  him.'''' 

Their  Relation  to  Christ  is  the  foundation  of  their  title  to 
the  heavenly  inheritance.  "  The  spirit  itself  beareth  witness 
with  our  spirit  that  we  are  the  children  of  God;  and  if  chil- 
dren, then  heirs — heirs  of  God,  and  joint  heirs  with  Christ;  if 
so  be  that  we  suffer  with  hi?n,  that  we  may  be  also  glorified  to- 


1: 

I 


HMSHEK    OK    THK    LIFK     OF    GRACE.  63 

gether.'''  Christ  is  the  Boaz  or  blood  relation,  who  redeemed 
their  inheritance  for  them,  and  bought  it  with  his  own  blood. 

The  Worthiness  of  Christ  is  the  foundation  of  their  accept- 
ance with  God.  ''^And  they  siing  a  new  song,  saying,  Thou  art 
worthy  to  take  the  book  and  to  open  the  seals  thereof:  for  thou  wast 
slain,  and  hast  redeemed  us  to  God  by  thy  blood,  out  of  every  kind- 
red and  tongue  and  people  arid  nation,  and  hast  made  us  unto  our 
God,  kings  and  priests.^'' 

Christ's  uxchangable  love  is  the  ground  of  their  final  per- 
severance and  eternal  glorification.  In  a  word,  he  is  all  in  all 
to  his  heaven-born  children.  He  "zs  made  unto  them  wisdom  and 
righteousness,  and  sanctijication  and  redemption.''''  He  is  their 
wisdom.  He  is  styled  "  the  essential  wisdom  of  God,^^  and  it  is 
said  that  "m  hi77i  dwell  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowledge]^ 
and  that  "  he  is  the  wisdom  of  God  and  the  power  of  God  to  them 
that  believe.''''  He  is  their  righteousness;  for  '^heis  made  of  God 
unto  them  righteousness.^^  He  is  styled  "//le  Lord  their  righteous- 
new,''iand^ "  T7ie  eiid  oj  the  law  for  righteousness.''''  He  is  their 
sanctification;  for  he  is  made  unto  them  ^^ redemption.''''  He  is 
their  life,  their  strength  and  their  all ;  for, 

IV.  He  supports  the  life  of  grace,  and  upholds  it  until  it  ar- 
rives at  full  perfection  in  glory.  Hence  he  says:  "I  am  the 
living  bread  which  came  down  from  heaven.  If  any  man  eat 
of  this  bread,  he  shall  live  forever:  ana  ;he  bread  that  I  will 
give  is  my  flesh,  w4iich  I  will'  give  for  the  life  of  the  world." — 
The  question  may  be  asked,  How^  is  the  life  of  grace  supported 
in  the  believing  soul?  I  answer,  By  that  union  which  subsits 
between  Christ  and  all  his  spiritual  children,  whereby  they  are 
said  to  be  in  Christ,  and  he  in  them.  "At  that  day  ye  shall 
know  that  I  am  in  my  Father,  and  ye  in  me,  and  I  in  you." — 
Again,  "  I  am  the  vine;  ye  are  the  branches.  He  that  abideth 
in  me  and  I  in  him,  the  same  bringeth  Ibrth  much  fruit;  for 
without  me  ye  can  do  nothing."  And  we  are  told  that  there  is 
"  no  condemnation  to  them  which  are  in  Christ  Jesus."  But  it 
may  be  asked.  In  what  respects  are  they  in  Christ  Jesus? 

1 .  They  are  in  him  as  their  covenant  head,  as  is  '  obvious 
from  the  tenor  of  the  fifth  chapter  of  Romans,  in  which  the  Apos- 
tle runs  the  parallel  betw-een  the  imputation  of  Adam's  sin  to 
his  natural  seed,  and  the  imputation  of  Christ's  righteouness  to 
his  spiritual  seed.  As  believers  are  in  Christ  as  their  covenant 
head,  they  are  inseparably  united  to  the  infinite  fountain  of 
life;  for  it  has  pleased  the  Father,  that  as  head  of  the  church, 
"  in  hi?n  shoidd  all  fulness  dwell.''''  Hence  the  life  of  the  be- 
liever is  safely  hid  Vv'ith  Christ  in  God,  for  hfe  is  the  life  of  God, 
and  because  he  lives,  his  people  must  live  also. 

2.  They  are  in  him  as  the  Lord  their  Righteousness,  for 
hey  are  clothed  with  the  perfect  righteousness  of  Jesus  Christ, 


64  .  CHRIST    THE    AUTHOR    ASD 

which  is  large  and  as  wide  as  the  law  of  God,  and  wliich  has 
received  the  full  approbation  of  heaven.  Therefore,  they  are 
one  with  Christ,  in  view  of  the  law  and  justice  of  God. 

As  the  bride,  by  virtue  of  hei;  marriage  covenant,  becomes 
legally  one  with  the  bridegroom,  and  stands  legally  entitled,  in 
a  joint  right,  to  all  the  riches  he  possesses; — so,  believing  sin- 
ners, by  virtue  of  their  marriage  union  with  Christ  as  the  Lord 
their  righteousness,  stand  legally  entitled,  in  the  view  of  the 
law  of  God,  in  a  joint  right,  to  all  the  boundless  riches  of  Christ. 
His"  person,  mediation,  merits,  and  purchase,  are%ieirs;  in  a 
word,  "  all  things  are  theirs,  whether  Paul  or  Apollos  or  Cephas, 
or  the  world  or  life  or  death,  or  things  present  or  things  to 
come ;  all  are  theirs,  and,  therefore,  their  is  no  condemnation  to 
them  that  are  in  Christ  Jesus." 

3.  They  are  in  Christ  as  the  fountain  of  all  divine  influences. 
In  this  respect,  they  are  mystically  one  with  him:  they  are  united 
to  him  as  the  members  to  the  head,  or  as  the  branches  to  the 
vine;  therefore  the  life  of  grace  is  supported  and  strengthened 
by  constant  supplies,  communicated  from  the  boundless  suffi- 
ciency of  Christ;  and  these  supplies  will    be  continued  until 
they  are  ripened  for,  and  arrived  at,  the  heavenly,  state,  as  is 
evident  from  the  words  of  the  Apostle:  "And  ho'  gave  some 
Apostles,  and  some  prophets,  and  some  evangelists,  and  some 
pastors  and  teachers  for  the  perfecting  of  the  saints,  for  the 
work  of  the  ministry,  for  the  edifying  of  the  body   of  Christ, 
till  w^e  come  in  the  unity  of  the  faith  and  of  the  knowledge  of 
the  Son  of  God,  unto  a  perfect  man,  unto  the  measure  of  the 
stature  of  the  fulness  of  Christ."     Divine  influences  are  com- 
municated to  their  souls  by  the  Holy  Spirit.     "  When  he,  the 
Spirit  of  Truth,  is  come,  he  shall  guide  you  into  all  truth." — 
And  the  means  by  which  they  are  communicated,  are  the  read- 
ing and  preaching  of  the  word  of  God,  meditation,  prayer,  self- 
examination,  &.C.;  all  these  are  so  many  channels  by  which 
light,  life  and  strength  are  conveyed  to  the  people  of  God. — 
Through  the  word  and  ordinances,  Christ  and  his  people  meet 
and  hold  communion,  and  thus  his  children  are  strengthened  in 
the  inner  man,  and  thereby  grow  in  grace  and  the  knowledge 
of  the  truth.     Sometimes  he  opens  their  understanding  (as  in 
the  case  of  the  two    disciples    on    the    way   to  Emaus),  and 
shows  them  the  spiritual  meaning  of  his  word,  which  is  con- 
cealed from  the  carnal  world.     Sometimes  his  promises  are 
sweeter  than  honey  and  the  honey-comb,  and  on  such  occasions 
he  often  shows  them  their  title  to  heaven,  written  in  the  red 
lines  of  LnmanuePs  blood.     Sometimes,  when  they  are  ready 
to   sink    under  gloomy  doubts  and  dismal  fears,  to  question 
the   reality  of  their  coversion  to  God,  and  are  about  to  raze 
the  foundation  of  their  hopes — to    their   sweet  surprise,    he 


FINISHER    OF    THE    LIFE    OF    GRACE.  65 

unveils  to  them  his  lovely  face,  speaks  peace  to  their  souls,  ap- 
pears in  the  galleries  of  his  grace,  gives  them  sweet  views  of 
his  glory,  and  blesses  them  with  clear  evidences  of  their  inter- 
est in  all  the  privileges  of  the  sons  of  God. 

With  the  dyed  garments  of  salvation,  he  sometimes  meets 
his  people  at  his  holy  table.  There  he  shows  them  his  vesture 
dipped  in  blood;  he  describes  the  thorns  he  wore,  and  tells  o'er 
his  bloody  passion,  he  shows  them  his  pierced  hands  and  feet,  the 
wide  wound  of  the  spear  in  his  side,  and  all  the  scarlet  streams 
of  his  shed  blood.  These  views  fill  their  hearts  with  deep  re- 
pentance, and  godly  sorrow  for  sin,  and  excite  in  them  a  holy 
resentment  against  it.  He  often  meets  them  in  secret,  and 
when  no  human  eye  beholds  them.  He  listens  to  their  com- 
plaints, and  suffers  them  to  lay  before  him  all  their  trials  and 
sorrows.  Often  when  they  are  reflecting  upon  him,  he  breaks 
into  their  souls,  and  gives  them  a  taste  of  heaven,  or  a  faith's 
view  of  their  everlasting  home.  By  afflictive  despesations  he 
qualifies  them  for  heaven.  These  have  an  excellent  tendency 
to  strengthen  the  life  of  grace;  hence  it  is  very  common  for 
the  children  of  God  to  be  exercised  with  them.  Says  Christ: 
*'  In  the  world  ye  shall  have  tribulation."  And  their  design  is 
to  wean  the  child  of  God  from  this  world,  to  discover  to  him 
the  bitterness  of  sin,  and  qualify  him  for  the  enjoyment  of  his 
everlasting  rest.  "  Our  light  affliction,  which  is  but  for  a  mo- 
ment, worketh  for  us  a  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight 
of  Glory."  Christ  often  permits  the  Devil  and  ungodly  men 
to  persecute  and  afflict  his  children,  and  thus  he  uses  them  to 
brighten  the  vessels  of  mercy  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  when 
they  will  shine  brighter  than  the  sun  in  his  strength. 

V.  He  finishes  the  life  of  grace;  for  he  completes  the  work 
of  sanctification,  and  thus  the  life  of  grace  ripens  into  the  life 
of  glory.  "Whom  he  did  predestinate,  them  he  also  called; 
and  whom  he  called,  them  he  also  justified;  and  whom  he  justi- 
ed,  them  he  also  glorified;"  hence  he  is  styled  the  "Author 
and  finisher  of  faith."  Whenever  the  work  of  sanctification  is 
completed,  the  believer  is  ripe  for  heaven ;  and  then  he  encoun- 
ters this  last  and  most  painful  conflict,  at  the  close  of  which  his 
warfare  is  ended,  and  his  weary  soul  brought  to  rest  forever  in 
the  bosom  of  Jesus.  But  in  this  trying  hour,  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  attends  the  child  of  God,  and  affords  him  every  neces- 
sary support.  Now  he  gives  him  such  clear  views  of  his  pow- 
er, and  the  efficacy  of  his  blood  and  merits,  that  he  can  look 
death  in  the  face  with  confidence;  Vvdthout  fear  he  can  reflect 
on  the  stern  and  inflexible  justice  .of  God,  and  welcome  the 
day  of  his  complete  redemption.  Jesus,  dying,  conquered  the 
monster,  deprived  him  of  his  sting,  and  converted  him  from 
the  king  of  terrors  to  a  kind  friend,  commissioned  to  call  the 

11 


66  CHRIST    THE    AUTHOR     &C, 

humble  believer  to  his  Father's  house.  And  as  he  passes 
through  the  dark  valley,  he  raises  his  Ebenezer,  saying;  "0 
death,  vi^here  is  thy  sting!  O  grave  where  is  thy  victory! — 
Thanks  be  to  God,  who  giveth  us  the  victory  through  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ."  Now  his  body  falls  into  the  dust,  and  there  it 
rests  in  union  with  Christ  until  the  morning  of  the  resurrection. 
But  his  soul,  escorted  by  angels,  mounts  to  heaven,  where 
grace  is  ripened  into  glory,  faith  into  vision,  and  hope  into  eter- 
nal fruition. 


SERMON    VII. 


THE  EXCELLENCIES  OF  CHRIST  AS  DISPLAYED   IN  THE 
PLAN  OF  SALVATION. 


Come  and  see. — John  i.  46. 


In  this  chapter,  we  have  an  account  of  the  first  dawn  of  the 
gospel  day,  when  Christ,  the  glorious  sun  of  righteousness,  made 
his  first  appearance  on  the  confines  of  our  lost  and  ruined 
world.  The  important  period  had  now  arrived  when  the  scep- 
tre had  departed  from  Judah — when  all  the  Old  Testament 
prophesies  respecting  the  incarnation  of  the  Son  of  God  were 
to  be  accomplished — and  when  all  the  types  and  bloody  sacri- 
fices of  the  Mosaic  dispensation  were  to  receive  their  com- 
plete fulfillment  in  Jesus  Christ,  their  glorious  antitype. 

In  the  beginning  of  this  chapter,  the  evangelist  informs  us, 
that  the  Eternal  Word,  who  was  in  the  beginning  with  God  and 
was  God,  and  by  whom  the  heavens  and  the  earth  were  created, 
was  made  flesh  and  dwelt  with  us;  that  he  came  unto  his  own, 
but  his  own  received  him  not.  After  asserting  the  great  funda- 
mental doctrines  of  the  Godhead,  and  incarnation  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  he  gives  us  some  information  of  him  in  his  public 
character,  and  the  commencement  of  his  mediatorial  work;  he 
tells  us  that  the  Eternal  Father  gave  a  plain  and  visible  demon- 
stration of  the  divinity  of  his  person,  and  of  the  truth  and  au- 
thority of  his  mission,  by  the  Holy  Ghost  descending  upon  him 
in  a  bodily  shape,  and  by  an  audjble  voice  from  heaven  proclaim- 
ing him  to  be  his  beloved  son,  in  whom  he  is  well  pleased,  as  the 
other  evangelists  testify. 

In  consequence  of  this,  his  forerunner,  John,  openly  pro- 
claimed him  to  the  world  as  the  great  propiatory  sacrifice  to  the 
law  and  justice  of  God;  "  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God  that  taketh 
away  the  sin  of  the  luorld.'''' 

The  epithet  Lamb  represents,  first,  the  spotless  innocence 
and  purity  of  his  soul  and  body,  by  which,  as  the  Apostle  ex- 


68  THE    EXCELLENCIES    OF    CHRIST    A3 

presses  it,  he  was  ^'•holy^  harmless,  unde/lled  and  separate  from 
sinners.''''  Again,  it  represents  him  as  the  all-sufficient  effica- 
cious, atoning  sacrifice,  to  the  justice  of  God  for  sin.  In  this 
view,  he  is  termed  in  Scripture,  "T/ie  lamb  that  was  slain,'^  and 
"  The  lamb  that  was  slain  from  the  foundation  of  the  icorldf 
and  he  was  typified  under  the  Mosaic  dispensation  by  the  pas- 
chal lamb,  and  by  the  other  bloody  sacrifices.  He  is  also  called 
the  Lamb  of  God,  because  he  was  chosen  and  ordained  of  God, 
in  the  councils  of  eternity,  as  the  great  sacrifice  for  sin;  and 
who  should  take  away  all  sin.  He  is  called  "  The  Lamb  of 
God  that  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world,''''  because  his  media- 
tion and  atonement  are  complete,  almighty  and  all-sufficent  to 
remove  the  guilt,  power  and  pollution  of  sin  wherever  it  is 
applied. 

The  next  important  circumstance  mentioned  by  the  Evange- 
list is,  the  Godlike  power  and  energy  that  attended  the  ministry 
of  our  divine  Lord.  Thus,  for  instance,  as  he  goes  into  Galilee, 
he  meets  Philip — like  a  God  he  speaks  to  his  heart  with  converting 
light  and  power.  .He  just  says,  Follow  me,  and  the  consequence 
is,  that  he  is  a  willing  subject  of  king  Jesus  in  the  day  of  his  pow- 
er— his  heart  opens  like  the  heart  of  Lydia  and  receives  Christ; 
he  forsakes  all  and  follows  him. 

The  soul  that  meets  with  Christ,  sees  his  glory  by  the  eye  of 
faith,  and  feels  his  love  shed  abroad  in  his  heart — possesses  a 
blessed  secret  he  cannot  keep — he  sees  much  beauty,  glory, 
and  precious  sweetness  in  Christ — he  sees  him  fairer  than  the  sons 
of  men,  the  chiefest  among  ten  thousand,  and  altogether  lovely. 
In  a  word,  he  sees  him  to  be  such  a  willing  and  all-sufficient 
Saviour,  that  he  must  tell  the  blessed  news — he  must  tell  what 
a  precious  Christ  and  sweet  salvation  he  has  found.  This  we 
find  was  the  case  with  Philip,  when  he  meets  with  Jesus,  sees 
his  glory  and  tastes  his  love — he  runs  to  Nathaniel  with  the 
blessed  tidings,  saying,  ^^  I  have  found  him  of  who??!  Moses  in  the 
laio  and  the  prophets  did  write — Jesus  of  Nazareth,  the  son  of 
Joseph.''''  Nathaniel,  though  a  good  man,  seems  to  answer  like' 
the  sinner,  "  Can  any  good  thing  come  out  of  Nazareth  i*"  Philip 
reples  in  the  words  of  our  text,  '•'■Come  and  see.'"' 

When  a  poor  lost  sinner  meets  with  Jesus  Christ,  and  feels 
the  sweetness  of  his  pardoning  love,  tells  the  unconverted  what 
a  pardoning  Christ,  and  what  a*sweet  salvation  he  has  found — 
when  in  the  very  bowels  of  Jesus  he  entreats  them  to  flee  the 
wrath  to  come,  his  language  appears  dark  and  strange,  they  reply 
as  Nathaniel  did,  can  there  be  any  good  thing  in  religion? — 
Says  the  sinner,  this. is  a  dark  mystery  to  me;  it  looks  like 
foolishness,  can  there  be  any  reality  in  it?  But  the  heaven- 
born  soul  always  replies  in  the  language  of  Philip,  "  Come  and 
see.''''     Once  I  was  blind  and  dead;  then  the  things  of  God  and 


v^w 


DISPLAYED    IN    THE    PLAN     OF    SALVATION.  69 

the  blessed  realities  of  religion  appeared  as  foolish  to  me  as 
they  now  do  to  you;  but  were  the  Lord  to  open  your  eyes; — 
did  you  know  what  is  to  be  felt  and  known  of  Christ  and  reli- 
gion, you  would  part  with  all  things  for  this  pearl  of  great 
price.     But  "  come  and  see,'"'  taste,  feel  and  know  for  yourself. 

In  the  prosecution  of  this  subject,  I  shall  observe  the  follow- 
ing method: 

I.  Point  out  some  precious  things  that  the  believer  sees  in 
Christ; 

II.  Show  what  it  is,  to  come  and  see ; 

III.  Answer  some  of  the  sinner's  objections  against  trying  to 
come  and  see. 

I.  Point  out  some  things  that  the  believer  sees  in  Christ. — 
And  1st.  You  are  called  to  come  and  see  the  infinite  and  inde- 
scribable glories  of  his  person,  as  Immanuel,  God  w  ith  us,  or  God 
in  our  nature.  Saith  Isaiah,  "  To  iis  a  child  is  born;  to  us  a 
son  is  given;  his  name  shall  he  called  Wonderful^  Counsellor, 
the  Mighty  God^  the  Everlasting  Father^  the  Prince  of  Peace.'''' 
Saith  Zachariah,  "  Awake^  O  sword,  against  the  shepherd,  and 
smite  the  man  that  is  my  fellow,  saith  the  Lord  of  Hosts.''''  Saith 
John,  "/n  the  beginning  was  the  word,  and  the  word  was  ivith 
God,  and  the  word  was  God.''"'  All  things  were  made  by  him; 
and  without  him  was  not  any  thing  made  that  was  made. 
Again  he  saith,  "  The  Word  was  made  flesh,  anddicelt  among  us, 
and  we  beheld  his  glory,  as  the  glory  of  the  only  begotteft  of  the 
Father,  full  of  grace  and  truth.''''  The  Apostle  tells  us,  "  That 
he  ivas  in  the  form  of  God,  and  thought  it  not  robbery  to  be  equal 
with  God — yet  he  made  himself  of  no  reputation,  but  took  upon 
himself  the  form  of  a  servant,  and  being  found  in  fashion  as  a 
man,  he  humbled  himself  and  became  obedient  to  the  death  of  the 
cross.^^  All  the  infinite  glories,  perfections  and  excellencies  of 
the  Godhead  are  essentially  in  him;  all  the  graces  of  the  Divine 
Spirit  are  in  him  in  the  highest  possible  degree;  every  beauty, 
amiable  excellence,  and  comelyj  proportion,  that  the  infinite 
wisdom  of  God  could  devise,  are  in  him. 

In  the  Songs  of  Solomon,  the  daughters  of  Jerusalem,  who 
represent  the  unconverted  world,  or  formal  professors,  ask  the 
spouse  or  true  believer,  ^^What  is  thy  beloved,  ?nore  than  another 
beloved?''''  The  spouse,  or  living  Christian,  replies  to  this  ques- 
tion, "  My  beloved  is  xohite  and  ruddy,  the  chief  est  cunong  ten 
thousand;  his  head  is  as  the  most  fine  gold,  his  locks  are  bushy, 
and  black  as  a  raven;  his  eyes  are  as  the  eyes  of  doves  by  the 
rivers  of  waters,  washed  with  milk,  and  fitly  set;  his  cheeks  are  as  a 
bed  of  spices,  like  sweet  flowers;  his  lips  like  lilies,  dropping  sweet 
smelling  myrrh;  his  hands  are  as  gold  j'iiigs  set  with  the  beryl;  his 
belly  is  as  bright  ivory,  overlaid  with  sapphires;  his  legs  are  as  pil- 
lars of  marble,  set  upon  sockets  of  fine  gold;  his  countenance  is  as 


70  THE    EXCELLNCIES    OF    CHJUST     AS 

Lebanon,  excellent  as  the  cedars;  his  mouth  is  most  sweet,''''  Thus 
she  describes  her  beloved  till  created  language  fails  to  express 
her  ideas,  and  at  last,  she  sums  up  the  whole:  "Fea,  he  is  alto- 
gether lovely,''''  Says  John,  "  /  saw  in  the  midst  of  the  seven 
golden  candlesticks ,  one  like  unto  the  son  of  man,  clothed  with  a 
garment  down  to  the  foot,  and  girt  about  the  paps  with  a  golden 
girdle.  His  head  and  his  liairs  wei'e  white  like  wool,  as  white  as 
snow;,  and  his  eyes  were  as  aflame  of  fire;  and  his  feet  like  nnto 
jine  brass,  as  if  they  burned  in  a  furnace;  and  his  voice  as  the 
sound  of  many  waters,  and  his  countenance  icas  as  the  sun 
shineth  in  his  strength.''''  But  why  do  we  dwell  upon  particu- 
lars, when  angels  and  arch-angels,  seraphim  and  cherubim,  with 
all  the  ransomed  millions  round  the  throne,  will  have  spent  ten 
tliousand  times  ten  thousand  ages,  dwelling  upon  the  glories  and 
beauties  of  Jesus,  they  must  acknowledge  with  the  queen  of 
Sheba,  that  the  half,  yea,  that  the  ten  thousandth  part  can  never 
be  told,  for  he  is  the  rose  of  Sharon  and  the  lily  of  the  valley. 
He  is  the  Almighty  Jehovah,  the  Everlasting  God,  the  Eternal 
Uncreated  I  AM.  Infinity,  eternity,  incomprehensibility,  self- 
existence,  and  immutability,  are  the  essential  properties  of  his 
nature.  He  is  the  Creator  of  all  worlds.  By  one  word  of  his 
almighty  power,  suns,  moons,  stars,  worlds  and  systems  of 
worlds,  came  rolling  out  of  non-existence  into  being.  By  his 
boundless  unerring  wisdom  and  almighty  power,  the  mysterious 
wheels  of  his  adorable  providence  are  rolled  on  from  age  to 
age,  and  all  the  affairs  of  the  natural  and  moral  world  moved 
along  in  the  most  exact  order  and  harmony,  so  as  to  terminate 
in  the  great  purposes  of  his  glory.  He  is  almighty  in  power — 
he  performs  his  whole  will,  and  pleasure  in  the  armies  of  heaven 
above,  and  among  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  beneath.  He 
comprehends  the  ocean  in  the  hollow  of  his  hand:  he  weighs 
the  mountains  in  scales,  and  the  hills  in  a  balance,  and  takes  up 
the  isles  as  a  very  little*  thing.  He  is  the  essential  Avisdom  of 
God:  he  planned  the  universe — he  formed  the  established  laws 
of  nature,  by  which  the  order  and  harmony  of  all  worlds  and 
systems  of  worlds  are  supported.  He  is  the  author  and  finisher 
of  the  heaven  astonishing  scheme  of  redemption,  that  strikes 
all  the  adoring  worlds  with  wonder,  that  the  astonished  angels 
with  praise  and  adoration  desire  to  look  into.  He  beholds  all 
things  from  everlasting  to  everlasting:  he  looks  from  the  heights 
of  heaven  to  the  depths  of  hell,  at  one  immediate  view;  yea, 
what  is  infinitely  more,  with  one  view  he  sees,  knows  and  com- 
prehends all  the  shoreless,  fathomless  glories  of  the  Godhead. 
He  is  infinite  and  immaculately  holy — he  is  infinite  amiable 
excellence  itself,  the  perfect  beauty  of  every  perfection.  In  a 
word,  he  is  the  "IZo///,  holy,  holy  Lord  God  Almighty,^^  who 
humbles  himself  to  behold  the  things  that  are  done  in  heaven — 


DISPLAYED    IN    THE    PLAN    OF     SALVATION.  71 

before  whom  bright  shining  seraphims  veil  their  faces  and  the 
purest  ranks  of  glorified  spirits  are  justly  chargeable  with  com- 
parative folly. 

Justice  and  judgment  are  the  habitations  of  his  throne.  To 
maintain  the  glory  of  his  law,  the  honorand  dignity  of  his  gov- 
ernment, and  to  manifest  his  infinite  abhorrence  and  displeasure 
against  sin,  a  bottomless  hell  was  kindled,  and  its  tremendous 
blaze  perpetually  kept  up:  his  breath,  like  a  stream  of  brim- 
stone, blows  the  flames  of  Tophet,  and  displays  the  power  of 
his  just  vengeance  in  the  punishment  of  finally  impenitent  sin- 
ners. He  is  love  itself — his  very  essence  is  love. — His  love 
passeth  all  created  understanding:  it  is  an  infinite  ocean  with- 
out shore  or  bottom;  it  is  everlasting,  unsolicited  love,  sove- 
reign, free  and  unmerited  love.  It  is  almighty,  all-powerful,  all- 
Conquering  love:  in  a  word,  his  love,  mercy  and  goodness  and 
grace,  stoop  from  the  heaven  of  heavens  to  the  very  suburbs 
of  hell,  and  raises  crawling  worms — rebels  that  deserve  the 
lowest  hell,  from  the  deep  and  miry  clay,  from  all  the  dreadful 
horrors  of  an  unconverted  state,  to  the  very  summit  of  glory, 
and  to  the  perfection  of  blessedness. 

2.  You  are  called  to  come  and  see  what  a  precious,  suitable 
Saviour  Jesus  is,  when  viewed  in  his  person,  and  in  his  two 
natures  and  three  offices,  as  Prophet,  Priest  and  King.  He  is 
man  in  our  nature,  our  friend,  our  kinsman  and  elder  brother.  He 
is  flesh  of  our  flesh,  and  bone  of  our  bone,  as  he  possessed  a  true 
body,  and  a  reasonable  soul,  he  was  capacitated  to  yield  a  per- 
fect sinless  obedience  to  the  precepts  of  the  divine  law,  in  the 
room  and  place  of  all  his  ransomed  blood-bought  millions. — 
He  was  thereby  qualified  to  endure  the  curse — to  suffer  and  die, 
the  just  for  the  unjust — to  pay  down  the  infinite  price  of  his 
people's  ransom  to  the  justice  of  God  in  divine  blood,  till  justice 
could  demand  no  more,  till  he  could  say  to  the  whole  work  of  their 
salvation  and  redemption,  IT  IS  FINISHED!  In  our  nature 
he  has  wrought  out  a  complete  law,  fulfilling  righteousness — a 
righteousness  commensurate  to  the  highest  claims  of  the  law  and 
justice  of  God;  a  righteousness  so  pure,  excellent  and  glorious, 
that  the  all-seeing  eye  of  the  stern,  inflexible  justice  of  God, 
can  find  neither  flaw  nor  blemish  in  it.  In  this  righteousness,  a 
God  of  consumate  holiness  and  purity,  he  can  be  just  and  yet 
the  justifier  of  the  ungodly  sinner,  that  believeth  in  Jesus. 

But  as  he  is  man  in  our  nature,  so  he  is  the  mighty  God,  the 
everlasting  Father,  possessed  of  all  the  infinite  glories,  perfec- 
tions and  excellencies  of  the  Godhead.  His  divine  and  human 
natures  are  so  wonderfully  and  mysteriously  united,  as  to  con- 
stitute but  one  individual  personage;  hence,  the  Apostle  terms 
his  blood  that  was  shed  for  the  remission  of  sins,  "  the  blood  of 
God^''^  as  it  was  the  blood  of  Him  who  was  truly  and  essentially 


72  THE    EXCELLENCIES    OF    CHRIST    AS 

God,  as  well  as  man.  Now  say,  is  he  not  the  most  suitable 
Saviour,  just  such  .a  one  as  such  poor  lost  sinners  as  we,  need? 
He  is  exactly  qualified  to  be  a  mediator  between  God  and  man ; 
for  he  possesses  the  nature  of  both  the  offended  and  the  oflend- 
ing  parties;  therefore,  he  is  a  most  suitable  day's  man  to  lay  his 
hands  upon  both  of  their  heads. 

Therefore,  come  and  see  what  a  suitable  Saviour  Jesus  is, 
when  viewed  in  his  prophetical  office.  The  Evangelist  John, 
tells  us  "  that  he  was  the  only  begotten  son,  that  he  was  in  the  bo- 
som of  the  Father.''^  The  child  that  lies  in  the  Father's  bosom, 
knows  the  Father's  heart;  he  can  form  the  most  correct  idea 
of  his  mind  and  intentions:  so  Christ,  the  friend  of  sinners, 
from  eternity,  lay  in  his  Father's  bosom.  He  knows  his  mind 
and  intentions;  he  knows  all  the  gracious  designs  of  his  infi- 
nitely compassionate  heart.  Therefore,  with  propriety  he  may 
be  termed  the  eternal  Word,  that  reveals  the  mind  of  God  to  a 
lost  world,  that  brings  all  the  gracious  designs  of  his  love  and 
mercy  to  the  view  of  poor  sinners:  hence,  he  is  termed  "^Ae 
true  light,''"' — "/Ae  great  light  that  sprang  up  in  the  dark  region  and 
shadow  of  death'''' — Hhe  day  star^'' — ^Hhe  mojniing  star''"' — ''Hhe  sun 
of  righteousness''''    that  dispels  the  darkness  of  the  moral  world. 

As  prophet,  he  reveals  the  living  way,  in  -which  God  is  recon- 
cileable — sin  pardonable — and  heaven  attainable.  By  his  word 
and  spirit  he  speaks  to  the  hearts  of  spiritually  dead  sinners, 
and  shows  them  the  extent,  purity  and  spirituality  of  God's  law; 
he  discovers  to  them  the  God  provoking  and  soul  damning  na- 
ture of  sin,  and  the  baseness,  filthiness  and  utter  insufficiency 
of  their  own  righteousness.  He  speaks  peace  to  the  troubled 
conscience,  binds  up  the  broken  heart,  and  unveils  the  glory, 
fulness  and  suitableness,  of  that  great  salvation  he  has  wrought 
out  by  his  active  and  passive  obedience.  As  a  prophet,  like  a 
shepherd,  he  leads  his  flock  into  the  green  pastures  of  the  Gos- 
pel; he  leads  them  from  strength  to  strength,  along  the  narrow 
way  of  holiness,  self-denial  and  communion  with  God;  he  leads 
them  in  his  own  footsteps,  and  often  in  a  way  that  they  know 
not,  as  he  directs  all  things  by  the  mysterious  movements  of  his 
.  Providence,  to  fit  and  prepare  them  as  vessels  of  mercy,  for 
the  reception  of  an  exceeding  great  and  eternal  weight  of  glory. 

Again  you  are  called  to  come  and  see  what  a  precious,  suita- 
ble Saviour  Jesus  is,  when  viewed  in  his  priestly  office.  The 
Divine  Spirit  tells  us  that  "/fe  is  a  priest  forever,  after  the  order 
of  Melchisedeckf^  Hhathe.is  a  merciful  and  faithful  high  priest;''^ 
a  ^^high  priest  that  can  be  touched  with  a  fellow-feeling  of  our  in- 
Jirmities,  as  in  all  points  he  was  tempted,  as  ice  are,  yet  without 
sin;''"'  Hhat  he  is  able  to  save  to  the  uttermost  all  that  come  to  God 
by  him,  seeing  that  he  ever  liveth  to  make  intercession.''''  View 
him  in  his  priestly  office,  and  by  faith  you  may  see  that  glorious, 


DISPLAYED  IN    THE   PLAN  OF    SALVATION.  73 

« 

precious,  sweet  smelling  sacrifice,  which  was  the  antitype  of  all 
the  bloody  sacrifices  for  thousands  of  years.  The  sacrifice  that 
made  a  competent  atonement  to  the  law  and  justice- of  God  for 
all  the  sins  of  many  millions  of  lost  sinners;  for  the  sins  of  that 
exceeding  great  multitude  which  no  man  can  number,  out  of  all 
nations,  kindreds,  tongues  and  people  upon  the  earth,  that  have 
washed  their  robes  and  made  them  white  in  the  blood  of  the 
Lamb.  Do  you  ask  what  was  this  sacrifice?  I  answer,  it  was 
the  immaculate  human  nature  of  the  Son  of  God — his  spotless, 
holy  soul  and  body — which  was  so  intimately  united  to  the  second 
person  of  the  ever  blessed  Trinity,  as  to  constitute  but  one 
identical  person.  The  altar  upon  which  this  was  offered,  (and 
which  sanctified  the  gift  and  gave  an  infinite  dignity  and  value 
to  the  sacrifice,)  was  the  divine  nature,  and  the  priest  that  offer- 
ed it  up  was  Immanuel,  God  in  human  flesh.  Here  faith  may 
come  and  see  the  Lamb  of  God,  slain  by  the  sword  of  divine 
justice,  hanging  upon  the  accursed  tree,  and  suffering  from  four 
bleeding  wounds!  A  God  of  holy  and  inflexible  justice  laying 
upon  him  the  iniquities  of  us  all,  taking  a  holy,  Godlike  pleasure 
in  bruising  and  putting  him  to  grief,  while  mercy,  pardon,  sal- 
vation and  eternal  life,  flow  in  scarlet  streams  from  his  bleeding 
veins  and  breaking  heart,  like  an  infinite  ocean  without  shore  or 
bottom !  Here  you  may  come  and  see  the  immeasurable  ocean 
of  the  love  of  God,  that  moved  from  all  eternity  in  the  infinite- 
ly gracious  and  compassionate  heart  of  Jehovah,  to  lost  sinners 
of  Adam's  race,  finding  vent  through  the  bleeding  veins  of  the 
Son  of  God!  Yea,  faith  may  come  and  see  the  bloody  suflTer- 
ings,  the  dying  agonies  and  the  expiring  groans  of  the  incarnate 
God,  giving  life,  eternal  life,  to  innumerable  millions — to  an  ex- 
ceeding great  number,  like  sand  by  the  sea  shore ! 

Again  you  are  called,  to  come  and  see  what  a  suitable  Savi- 
our Jesus  is,  when  viewed  in  his  kingly  office.  The  Father  de- 
clares, that  '•'•he  is  the  King,  that  he  has  set  upon  his  holy  hill  of 
Zion;"  and  in  Matthew,  he  himself  tells  \xs,Hhat  all  power  in 
heaven  and  in  earth  is  committed  to  him.^^  As  a  king,  like  an 
Almighty  conqueror,  he  has  demolished  the  strong  holds  of  the 
Devil;  he  has  overturned  the  dark  empire  of  hell;  he  has  res- 
cued millions  of  lost  sinners  from  the  devouring  lion  of  the  in- 
fernal pit;  and  he  has  led  the  monster,  Death,  in  chains!  In  the  . 
day  of  his  power,  he  subdues  the  hearts  and  wills  of  the  most 
stubborn,  hell-hardened  rebels;  he  lays  them  like  humble  peni- 
tents in  the  dust,  and  makes  them  the  obedient  and  willing  sub- 
jects of  his  cross:  he  bruises  the  Old  Serpent  under  their  feet,  and 
makes  them  conquerors  and  more  than  conquerors  a,t  last,  over 
sin,  Satan,  death  and  hell! 

3.  You  are  called  to  come  and  see  Mercy  and  Truth  meet- 
ing together,  and  righteousness  and  peace  kissing  each  other  in 

12 


74  THE     EXCELLENCIES    OF    CHRIsT    A8 

the  person  of  Christ;  and  the  attributes  of  the  Godhead  meet- 
ing, uniting  and  harmonizing  in  that  great  salvation  which  Christ 
has  wrought  out  for  poor  lost  sinners  by  his  obedience  and  suf- 
ferings. 

Here  you  may  see  everlasting  love  exhausting  the  very  funds 
of  heaven, — laying  out  the  boundless  riches  of  the  Godhead, 
and  presenting  to  perishing  sinners  the  richest,  the  greatest,  and 
the  most  precious  gift  that  God  could  bestow:  '-'•God  so  loved  the 
world,  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  ivhosoever  believeth 
on  him  should  not  peinsh,  but  have  everlasting  life.''''  Here  you 
may  see  the  holy,  strict  and  inflexible  justice  of  God,  receiving 
the  most  complete  and  ample  satisfaction  in  the  strenming  blood 
and  dviuCT  agonies  of  the  incarnate  God;  a  satisfaction  commensu- 
rate (o  its  highest  deurauds — inhnitely  more  glorious  than  it  could 
have  received  in  the  damnation  of  the  whole  human  race.  Here 
you  may  see  rich  redeeming  mercy,  flowirig  in  scarlet  streams 
from  the  bleeding  heart  of  a  dying  Jesus:  Here  you  may  see  the 
burning  throne  of  justice  sprinkled,  and  the  flaming  sword  of 
divine  wrath  cooled  in  the  blood  of  the  incarnate  God,  and  the 
living  way  laid  open  by  which  God  can  be  just  and  the  justifier 
of  the  worst  of  sinners. 

4.  You  are  called  to  come  and  see  the  rich  provision  of  the 
everlasting  covenant  of  peace,  treasured  up  in  Christ.  Here 
you  may  see  the  hiding  place  from  the  storms  of  God's  wrath, 
in  which  the  most  polluted  sinners  may  rest  in  complete  and 
eternal  safety:  Here  you  may  see  the  strong  hold  opened  for 
the  reception  of  guilty  law-condemned  sinners:  Here  you  may 
see  ''Hhe  fountain  opened  for  sin  and  uncleanness,''''  flowing  from 
the  wounds  made  by  the  thorns,  nails  and  spear:  Here  you  may 
see  blood-bought  pardons  freely  offered  to  the  chief  of  sinners: 
Here  you  may  see  the  white  robe  of  a  perfect  law  fulfilling 
righteousness,'that  covers  millions  of  naked  souls,  and  delivers 
them  from  the  curse  and  condemning  sentence  of  God's  holy 
law.  In  a  word,  you  may  come  and  see  pardon  for  the  guilty, 
strength  for  the  weak,  eyes  for  the  blind,  feet  for  the  lame,  food 
for  the  hungry,  and  all  things  necessary  for  sanctification  and 
complete  eternal  glorification. 

5.  You  are  called  to  come  and  see  the  gracious  willingness  of 
•  Jesus  to  receive  the  chief  and  v/orst  of  sinners.  Who  can 
doubt  the  veracity  of  Christ,  the  Amen,  the  faithful  and  true 
witness?  The  calls,  offers  and  invitations,  that  every  where 
abound  in  the  Bible,  speak  the  very  language  of  his  heart — 
^^Ho!  even/ one  that  thirsteth,  come  to  the  waters  P''  ^''Coineunto  me, 
all  ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest.'''' 

But  if  the  vv^ord,  promise,  and  oath  of  God,  will  not  convince 
you  of  Christ's  willingness  to  save,  you  qire  called  to  come  and 
see  plain  matters  of  fact  that  silence  every  objection.     View 


IDISPLATED    IN    THE    PLAN    OF    SALVATION.  75 

his  incarnation,  humiliation,  bitter  sufferings  and  dying  agonies. 
All  these  proclaim  his  gracious  willingness  to  save  the  chief  of 
sinners.  See  him  leaving  his  eternal  throne  of  glory,  veiling 
his  Godhead  in  clay,  born  in  a  stable,  and  laid  in  a  manger;  and 
what  is  the  cause  of  this  amazing  abasement  and  humiliation? 
Why,  to  save  poor  lost  sinners !  View  Gethsemane's  groans  and 
bloody  sweat!  see  him  buffeted,  spit  upon,  .and  scourged, till  one 
might  tell  all  his  bones.  See  him  crowned  with  thorns,  carrying 
the  cross  on  his  bleeding,  mangled  shoulders,  through  ihe  streets 
of  Jerusalem,  and  up  Mount  Calvary  to  the  place  of  execution! 
See  him  there  hanging  on  the  cursed  tree,  suspended  by  four 
bleeding  wounds.  Hear  him  crying,  in  the  most  extreme  an- 
guish, "J%  God!  mil  God!  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me!''''  See  him 
sinking  in  the  agonies  of  death,  and  falling  a  pale,  lifeless  and 
ghastly  corpse! 

Now,  sinner,  had  Christ  been  unwilling  to  save  you,  would  he 
have  endured  all  this  to  prevent  you  from  sinking  into  hell? — 
When  he  died,  justice  cried, I  am  satisfied!  and  the  language  of 
every  drop  of  blood  which  flowed  from  his  veins,  is,  "Come  and 
see .'"' 

Again,  consider  the  tears  he  shed  over  obstinate  sinners,  in 
the  days  of  his  flesh;  his  melting  and  moving  lamentations  over 
the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem,  the  very  persons  he  knew  in  a  few 
days  would  imbrue  their  hands  in  his  blood — and  none  can  doubt 
his  willingness  to  save  the  chief  of  sinners.     When  he  beheld 
Jerusalem,  he  wept  over  it,  saying,  "/f  thou  hadst  knozcn  at  least^ 
in  (his  thy  day^  the.  things  that  belong  to  thy  peace'"  and  after  his 
resurrection,  he  commanded  his  apostles  to  make  the  first  offers 
of  mercy  to  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem — the  very  persons  who 
had  imbi'ued  their  hands  in  his  blood.     His  command  was,  "Go 
preach  my  gospel  to  every  creature^' beginning  at  Jerusalem."     A 
certain  author  paraphrasing  on  this  passage,  expresses  it  thus — 
"Go  to  that  bloody  city;  as  they  are   the  chief  of  sinners,  so 
their  case  is  the  most  desperate — give  them  the  first  offers  of  mer- 
cy— though  they  have  blasphemed  my  divinity,  and  cruelly  im- 
brued their  hands  in  my  blood — though  they  have  despised  the 
tears  that  I  have  shed  over  them,  and  imprecated  my  blood  to  be 
upon  them — tell  them  it  was  for  them  I  shed  both, — my  tears,  to 
soften  their  hearts  towards  God,  and  my  blood,  that  I  might  re- 
concile God  to  them.     Tell  them  that  you  have  seen  the  print 
of  the  nails  in  my  hands  and  feet,  and  the  print  of  the  spear  in 
my  side,  and  all  the  marks  of  their  murdering  cruelty;  tell  them 
tll^t  all  these,  so  far  from  giving  me  vindictive  thoughts  concern- 
ing them,  that  every  wound  and  every  scar  pleads  in  their  be- 
half, and  cries  for  their  pardon  and  redemption  before  God — 
and  enables  me  to  bestow  it;  yea,  if  you  see  that  poor  unhappy 
wretch  who  ran  the  spear  into  my  side,  tell  him  there  is  a  nearer 


76  THE     EXCELLENCIES    OF    CHRIST    AS 

and  better  way  to  come  to  my  heart — even  to  my  heart's  love! 
If  he  will  look  upon  me,  whom  he  has  pierced,  and  mourn,  I 
will  cherish  him  in  the  same  bosom  he  has  wounded;  and  he 
shall  find  the  blood  he  has  shed,  a  sufficient  remedy  against  the 
sin  of  shedding  it.  Tell  him  he  will  put  me  to  more  pain  in 
rejecting  this  offer  of  my  blood,  than  he  did  when  he  drew  it 
forth!" 

6.  Come  and  see  the  wonders  that  the  redeeming  blood  and 
all-conquering  love  of  Jesus  has  performed  in  every  age  of  the 
world.  Here  you  see  spiritually  dead  souls  awakened,  convert- 
ed and  raised  up  to  newness  of  life ;  hearts  of  stone  harder  than 
the  adamant,  broken  and  melted  into  floods  of  penitential  sor- 
row; eyes  that  were  blinded  by  the  God  of  this  world,  opened 
and  enlightened  to  behold  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Christ 
Jesus — to  behold  the  ravishing  beauty  of  Immanuel — to  see  the 
height,  depth,  length  and  breadth  of  the  unmeasurable  ocean  of 
the  love  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus — which  passes  aU  created  un- 
derstanding. Here  you  may  see  the  enemies  of  God,  the  vete- 
rans of  the  camp  of  hell,  ministers  of  wickedness,  lying  at  the 
feet  of  Jesus,  weeping,  pardoned  penitents!  In  a  word,  you  may 
come  and  see  debauchees,  thieves,  murderers  and  hell-hardened 
deists,  transformed  from  glory  to  glory  in  the  image  of  Christ — 
an  exceeding  great  multitude,  which  no  man  can  number,  re- 
deemed out  of  all  nations,  and  kindred,  and  tongues,  nnd  peo- 
ple, who  were  once  dearl  in  sin,  and  children  of  wrath  even  as 
others,  but  their  robes  have  been  washed  and  made  white  in  the 
blood  of  the  Lamb. 

7.  Come  and  see  how  sweet  the  love  of  Jesus  is,  and  how  rav- 
ishing the  glories  and  beauties  of  his  face  appear  to  the  pardoned 
believer  in  his  sweet  seasons  of  communion  with  God.  We  are 
creatures  who  are  naturally  curious;  we  are  solicitous  to  know 
secrets  and  find  out  mysteries.  Well,  here  is  the  secret  of  the 
Lord,  that  is,  with  them  that  fear  him ;  here  are  the  mysteries  of 
the  kingdom  of  heaven,  which  none  know  but  the  heaven  born 
soul;  here  is  the  hidden  manna,  the  white  stone,  and  the  new 
name,  that  no  man  knows  but  him  that  receives  it;  here  is 
Christ's  banqueting  house — heaven  upon  earth — the  apples  of 
Paradise — the  grapes  of  Eschol — the  wine,  milk  and  honey  of 
Canaan:  Here  is  the  peace  of  God  that  passeth  all  understand- 
ing— the  joy  that  is  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory.  Here  the 
pardoned  believer  sits  down  under  the  shadow  of  Christ  with 
great  delight,  and  finds  his  fruit  pleasant  to  the  taste.  Like  Mo- 
ses from  the  top  of  Pisgah,  he  views  the  land  of  promise;  by 
faith  he  views  his  everlasting  inheritance,  and  reads  his  title  to 
that  inheritance,  in  the  red  lines  of  the  blood  of  Christ.  These 
views  fill  the  soul  with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory.  Now 
the  believer  sinks  into  the  dust  before  God,  and  cries  witli  Job, 


DISPLATED    I!«    THK    PLAN    OF    SALVATION.  77 

^^Before  I  heard  of  thee  bi/  the  hearing  of  the  ear^  but  now  mine 
eye  seeth  thee;  wherefore  I  abhor  myself,  and  repent  in  dust  and 
ashesJ'^ 

8.  You  are  called  to  come  and  see  how  soul  refreshing  the 
smiles  of  Jesus  are  to  the  dying  believer,  when  he  is  parting 
with  time,  when  he  is  about  to  take  a  long  farewell  of  all  earthly- 
things,  when  the  light  of  glory  begins  to  dawn,  and  the  angelic 
guards  begin  to  appear.  See  the  believer  in  the  last  agonies  of 
death,  leaning  his  fainting  head  on  the  living  bosom  of  Jesu<6 — 
heaven  dawning — the  sun  of  righteousness  shining  into  his  de- 
parting soul — with  what  joy  can  he  then  take  a  last  adieu  of  this 
wretched  and  ensnaring  world  and  wing  his  flight  to  climes  of 
glory! 

II.  Show  what  it  is  to  '•'Come  and  see.''''  The  meaning  of  the 
expression  is,  to  believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Thus  in 
Isaiah,  "ZrooA;  unto  me  and  be  ye  saved  f  that  is,  believe  in  me. 
To  come  and  see,  signifies  that  we  part  with  the  love  and  prac- 
tice of  every  sin,  and  accept  of  salvation  on  God's  terms. — 
Christ  is  offered  in  the  gospel  to  guilty  sinners  as  God's  unspeak- 
able gift;  therefore,  to  come  and  see,  is  to  accept  of  Christ  in  all 
his  offices  as  a  free  gift. 

Would  you  come  and  see  the  suitableness,  fulness  and  all- 
sufficiency  of  Christ,  then  like  blind  Bartimeus,  you  must  lie  by 
the  way-side;  when  Jesus  of  Nazareth  passeth  by,  you  must 
cry  for  mercy  as  the  condemned  criminal  cries  for  a  pardon,  and 
take  no  denial,  till  the  almighty  voice  of  the  Son  of  God  speak 
peace  and  pardon  to  your  soul. 

But  to  be  more  particular,  would  you  attempt  to  come  and  see : 

You  must  attend  to  the  business  of  your  salvation,  as  a  work 
of  the  last  importance,  and  which  must  be  done.  You  must 
listen  to  carnal  excuses  no  longer;  you  must  now  begin  that 
important  work — put  it  off  no  longer — for  the  present  is  God's 
time.  Therefore,  like  Lot,  "a?'we,  flee  for  your  life — look  not 
behind  you — tarry  not  in  all  the  plain,''''  for  eternal'  life  is  to  be 
forever  lost  or  won. 

2.  You  must  forsake  your  vain  companions,  vain  conversa- 
tion, and  every  known  sin;  you  must  diligently  attend  to  the 
performance  of  every  known  duty,  and  seek  the  Lord  in  all  the 
means  of  his  appointment.  Thus  you  must  pray  in  your  family 
and  in  secret;  you  must  frequently  reflect  on  your  dreadful  con- 
dition while  destitute  of  an  interest  in  Christ,  for  you  are  now 
in  the  plains  of  Sodom  under  the  curse  of  God;  "therefore  re- 
flect on  the  danger  of  turning  back,  and  take  care  that  you  do 
not  sit. down  on  a  false,  delusive  hope. 

3.  Attend  to  the  voice  of  conscience,  cherish  every  motion 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and,  like  the  importunate  widow,  give  the 
Lord  no  rest  until  he  speak  peace  and  pardon  to  your  soul. 


78  THE     KXCELLENCIES    OF    CHRIST    AS 

4.  Resolve  in  the  strength  of  God  never  to  rest  in  your  re- 
formations, duties,  prayers,  tears  or  melting  frames,  till  the  Lord 
himself  speak  peace  to  your  heart. 

5.  Lie  at  the  feet  of  Jesus,  and,  like  an  humble  penitent,  plead 
his  gracious  offers  of  mercy  to  the  chief  of  sinners;  plead  the 
infinite,  all-sufficiency  of  that  atoning  blood  which  has  washed 
away  the  guilt  of  millions.  Meditate  on  the  fulness  and  freeness 
of  the  great  salvation  which  is  provided  for  miserable,  lost,  per- 
ishing sinners- of  every  description.  Attempt  to  stretch  forth 
the  withered  hand,  and  to  throw  your  helpless,  perishing,  dying 
soul  into  the  outstretched  arms  of  sovereign  mercy — crying, 
Lord  give  me  faith!  help  me  to  believe!  Lord  open  my  under- 
standing! let  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God 
shine  into  my  benighted  soul! 

in.  Answer  some  objections,  and — 

1.  Says  some  poor  Christless  sinner,  I  am  called  to  come  and 
see  the  beauties  and  glories  of  Jesus;  but  this  is  a  dark  mystery — . 
Jesus  is  an  unknown  Christ  to  me. 

Answer — Go  to  Jesus  with  your  complaint — tell  him  you  are 
blind  and  cannot  see.  He  came  into  our  world  on  the  kind,  gra- 
cious errand,  to  seek  and  save  the  lost — to  seek  and  save  just 
such  as  you.  He  came  "^o  open  the  eyes  of  the  blind — to  pro- 
claim liberty  to  the  captives^  and  the  opening  of  the  prison  doors 
to  ih^m  that  were  bound.''' 

2.  Do  you  know  and  feel  that  you  are  blind:  the  Spirit  of 
God  taught  you  this  truth.  While  you  are  out  of  Christ  your 
case  is  so  dreadful  that  no  language  can  describe  it;  but  dread- 
ful as  it  is,  while  the  Spirit  of  God  strives  with  you  there  is 
hope;  therefore  plead  with  vehemence — you  have  the  word  and 
promise  of  God,  that  ''''him  that  cometh  to  Jesus,  he  will  in  no  wise 
cast  out.''''  But  do  you  say,  I  am  not  only  blind,  but  dead;  dead 
in  trespasses.andsins;  I  do  not  sensibly  teel  my  case;  my  heart 
is  as  hard  as  a  rock;  I  have  no  disposition  to  come  to  Christ; 
why  then  should  I  attempt  to  come  till  God  gives  me  the  dispo- 
sition? 

Answer — Wretched  sinner,  you  are  the  very  person  above 
all  others  who  should  be  storming  heaven  with  your  cries,  for 
there  is  no  case  on  this  side  of  hell  more  desperate,  with  this 
exception,  that  we  hope  your  day  of  grace  is  not  eternally  past, 
but  that  the  Spirit  is  still  striving  with  you.  A  want  of  heart, 
will,  and  disposition  to  fly  to  Christ  is  a  death  spot,  a  hell  spot — 
not  only  a  symptom  of  spiritual  death,  but  a  woeful  token 
that  the  second  death  is  taking  hold  of  you.  It  is  a  proof  of  the 
most  daring  enmity  and  rebellion  against  God.  Your  great  ex- 
cuse is,  that  you  are  in  such  a  dead  sleep,  that  you  cannot  see 
nor  feel  your  danger.  This  excuse  is  your  crime.  Spiritual 
blindness  and  hardness  of  heart  are  soul  damning  sins.     As  well 

• 


DISPLAYED    IN    THE    PLAN    OF    SALVATION.  79 

might  the  robber  plead  his  insatiable  covetousness,  as  an  excuse 
for  his  crime,  or  the  mm'derer  plead  his  unconquerable  malice. 
Are  you  blind  to  your  danger: — And  what  says  the  word  of  God 
to  your  case? — '^This  is  the  condemnation.^  that  light  is  come  into 
the  world,  and  men  love  darkness  rather  than  light,  because  their 
deeds-  are  etv7."  Is  your  heart  hard  and  unfeeling: — What  does 
Jehovah  himself  say  of  this  excuse?  "T%  hard  and  impenitejit 
heart  treasurest  up  unto  thyself  wrath  against  the  day  of  wrath 
and  revelation  of  ths  righteous  judgment  of  God.''"'  Poor,  spiri- 
tually dead  soul,  stop — suspend  the  laughter  of  fools  for  a  mo- 
ment, while  I  deliver  to  you  the  sweetest  news  that  ever  reached 
the  ears  of  sinners  out  of  hell.  '•''This  is  a  faithful  saying  and 
worthy  of  all  acceptation,  that  Christ  Jesus  came  to  save  sinners'''' 
— sinners  of  the  worst  kind — sinners  even  of  your  character 
and  description.  "i?e  is  the  resurrection  and  the  lifef'^  and  if 
you  believe  on  him,  though  you  were  dead,  yet  you  shall  live: 
he  has  an  almighty  voice  that  can  raise  the  dead  from  their  graves 
at  his  command.  Lazarus,  though  four  days  dead  and  in  a  state 
of  putrefaction,  sprung  into  life,  when  he  said,  Lazarus  come 
forth.  And  would  you  but  come  and  see,  had  you  but  one  faith's 
view  of  his  lovely  face,  this  would  subdue  your  heart,  conquer 
your  will,  and  make  you  willing  to  part  with  all  things  for  this 
pearl  of  great  price. 

3.  But,  says  some.  Christless  soul,  I  have  had  many  calls  by 
the  Word  and  Spirit  of  God — I  have  often  resolved  that  I  would 
try  to  come  and  see,  but  owing  to  the  cares  of  the  world,  and 
snares  of  the  wicked,  1  have  quenched  my  convictions  and  again 
turned  back  to  sin;  and  although  I  wish  to  come  to  Christ,  be- 
fore I  die,  yet  this  is  not  a  convenient  time.  I  pray  you  have  me 
excused  until  I  become  satisfied  with  the  pleasures  of  this  world, 
or  until  I  am  in  such  circumstances  that  I  can  obtain  religion 
without  being  exposed  to  reproach.  Is  this  your  character, 
your  case  is  desperate — your  day  of  grace  is  drawing  near  the 
eleventh  hour — the  Judge  of  quick  and  dead,  who  carries  the 
keys  of  hell  and  death,  who  shuts  and  no  man  opens,  has  declar- 
ed his  Spirit  shall  not  always  strive  with  you;  and  that  "//e  that 
is  often  reproved  and  stiffeneth  his  neck,  shall  suddenly  be  destroy' 
ed,  and  that  without  remedy.''"'  Then  let  every  conviction-stifler 
here  be  persuaded  to  come  to  Jesus,  and  thereby  take  shelter  in 
the  strong  hold  appointed  for  the  prisoners  of  hope  before  it  is 
eternally  too  late. 

4.  But,  says  some  heavy  laden  sinner,  I  have  been  long  trying 
to  come  and  see.  Were  I  in  possession  of  ten  thousand  worlds, 
and  could  Christ  be  bought,  I  would  freely  give  them  all  for  an 
interest  in  him;  but  the  more  I  try  to  come  and  see,  the  more 
clearly  do  I  discover  my  own  misery,  and  the  more  darkly  does 
the  plan  of  salvation  appear.     Alas!  what  shall  I  do? 


8(>  THE     EXCELLENCIES    OP    CHRIST,   &C. 

The  vengeance  of  God  pursues  you — the  flaming  sword  of  di- 
vine justice  is  unsheathed.  There  is  no  hope,  help  nor  safety  for 
you  but  in  Christ;  therefore,  escape  for  your  hfe,  storm  the  hea- 
vens with  your  cries.  Jesus  stands  with  open  arms  ready  to  re- 
ceive you — his  bleeding  wounds  and  dying  groans  invite  you — 
all  that  he  did  for  your  salvation  bids  you  welcome;  therefore 
venture  upon  him  and  you  shall  see  the  glory  of  God. 


SERMON    VIII. 


THE    B£L.I£VE:R   EMBRACING    CHRIST. 


Then  took  he  him  up  in  his  arms,  and  blessed  ixod, — Luke  ii.  28. 


This  is  a  pleasing  truth,  "  Unto  you,  thei'efore,  which  believe,  he 
is  precious."'^  No  sooner  does  a  sinner  obtain  a  faith's  view  of 
Jesus  Christ,  than  his  heart  is  filled  with  ^'•joy  unspeahahh  and 
full  of  glory.''''  The  Psalmist,  speaking  of  Christ,  says,  that  "Ae 
is  fairer  than  the  sons  of  men,  and  his  loving  Mndjiess  is  better 
than  life.''''  What  comfort  and  holy  joy  must  good  old  Simeon 
have  felt,  when  he  held  the  lovely  Jesus  in  his  arms !  As  Dr. 
Watts  beautifully  expresses  it: 

"With  what  divine  and  vast  delight 
The  ^ood  old  man  was  fill'd, 
When  fondly  in  his  Avithered  arms 
He  clasped  the  Holy  Child." 

In  the  context  it  is  said,  that  '•'Simeon  was  Just  and  devout;''^ 
that  is,  he  lived  in  the  love  and  practice  of  all  the  duties  of  the 
first  and  second  table  of  the  law  of  God;  and  all  true  believers 
are  careful  to  maintain  good  works.  Simeon  ^^was  icaiting  for 
the  consolation  of  Israel;^'  that  is,  he  anxiously  looked,  and  fer- 
vently prayed,  for  the  coming  of  the  promised  Messiah,  who  is 
"f/ie  consolation  of  IsraeW''  '■'•It  was  revealed  unto  him  by  the  Ho- 
lt) Ghost,  that  he  should  not  see  death  before  he  had  seen  the  Lord''s 
Christ;"'  therefore  he  saw  him  by  the  eye  of  faith  before  he  be- 
held him  with  his  bodily  eye ;  so  faith  in  the  promises  always 
precedes  and  prepares  the  soul  for  the  sensible  enjoyment  of 
Christ  in  time,  and  for  immediate  enjoyment  of  him  in  the  heav- 
enly state.  The  Evangelist  proceeds:  '•'•And  he  came  by  the  Spi- 
rit into  the  temjile,  and  when  the  parents  brought  in  the  child  Jesus 
to  do  for  him  after  the  custom  of  the  law,  then  took  he  him  up  in 
his  arms  and  blessed  God.''     From  these  words  we  may  observe, 


13 


82  THE  BELIEVER 

1st.  As  aged  Simeon  took  the  blessed  Jesus  in  his  arms,  so  it  is 
the  privilege  of  every  true  Christian  to  embrace  Christ  in  the 
arms  of  faith. 

2d.  Simeon  m.et  with  the  infant  Saviour  in  the  temple;  so  the 
followers  of  Jesus  often  meet  with,  and  by  faith  embrace  Christ 
in  the  house  of  God.  There  are  the  chambers  of  his  love,  where 
they  are  permitted  to  see  his  glory,  and  sit  under  his  shadow  with 
great  delight;  for  this  privilege  David  earnestly  longed:  "0?ie 
thing  have  I  desired  of  the  Lord,  that  will  I  seek  after,  that  I  may 
dwell  in  the  house  of  the  Lord  all  the  days  of  my  life,  to  behold  the 
beauty  of  the  Lord,  and  to  inquire  in  his  temple.'''' 

3d.  Simeon  had  a  promise,  '''•that  he  should  not  see  death  before 
he  had  seen  the  Lord's  Christ  f  the  accomplishment  of  which  we 
have  in  the  words  of  the  text.  The  fulfillment  of  God's  promi- 
ses is  certain,  therefore  all  the  followers  of  Christ  may  confi- 
dently trust  in  the  word  of  the  God  of  truth,  for  he  is  always 
as  good  as  his  promise.  He  promised  Simeon  that  he  should  see 
the  Lord's  Christ,  and  he  had  not  merely  a  sight  of  him,  but  he 
had  him  in  his  arms,  and  near  his  heart. 

4th.  Simeon  took  the  infant  Saviour  in  his  arms,  and  pressed 
him  as  near  his  heart  as  he  possibly  could.  And  the  soul  that 
meets  wdth  Christ  in  the  ordinances  of  God's  house,  takes  him 
in  the  arms  of  his  faith,  presses  him  to  his  heart,  and  gives  him 
the  highest  place  in  his  affections. 

In  the  discussion  of  the  subject,  we  shall — 

I.  Speak  of  the  faith  which  embraces  Christ. 

II.  When  the  believer  takes  Christ  in  his  arms  of  faith. 

III.  Some  of  the  effects  of  this  meeting. 

I.  The  faith  that  embraces  Christ.  And  here  we  would  observe, 
that  nature  cannot  produce  it,  but  it  is  implanted  in  the  heart  by 
the  Holy  Spirit  of  God;  hence  in  Scripture  it  is  styled  "predows 
faith''— '^The  faith  of  God's  elect"— '•^ Faith  that  icorks  by  love" 
— ''•Faith  that  purifies  the  heart,''''  &c. 

This  faith  the  sinner  cannot  exercise  by  the  operation  of  his 
natural  powers  upon  the  truth  of  God's  word  and  promise,  for 
such  a  faith  devils  and  damned  reprobates  may  possess.  The 
unconverted  sinner  is  as  incapable  of  acting  faith  or  laying  hold 
of  Christ,  as  a  man  born  blind  is  of  opening  his  eyes  and  be- 
holding the.natural  light,  or  as  a  dead  corpse  is  of  performing  the 
works  of  a  living  man. 

The  faith  that  unites  the  soul  to  Christ  presupposes  a  thorough 
conviction  of  sin,  which  breaks  up  the  fountains  of  the  great 
deep  of  the  heart,  lays  open  the  secret  dens  of  hidden  wicked- 
ness, and  renders  a  Christless  state  intolerable.  It  implies  a  de- 
spair of  help  from  any  created  arm,  and  that  the  sinner  is  dead 
to  all  hope  in  himself.  Faith  implies  a  knowledge  of  Christ — 
'"'•And  this  is  life  eternal,  that  they  might  know  thee,  the  only  true 


EMBRACING    CHRIST. 


God,  and  Jesus  Christ  whom  thou  hast  sent.''''  It  implies  a  view 
of  the  divine  glory,  manifested  in  Christ — ^^For  God,  who  co7n- 
manded  the  light  to  shine  out  of  dat^kness,  hath  shined  in  our  hearts 
to  give  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glorij  of  God  in  the  face 
of  Jesus  Christ.''''  Christ,  by  his  spirit,  opens  the  understanding 
of  the  sinner  to  discover  the  spirituality  of  God's  word,  and  to 
see  the  fulness,  suitableness  and  preciousness  of  Christ  in  his  two 
natures,  person  and  offices  of  prophet,  priest  and  king.  There- 
fore, 

It  implies  the  full  and  cheerful  consent  of  the  heart  to  re- 
ceive Christ  in  all  his  offices,  to  accept  of  salvation  on  God's 
terms,  and  to  part  with  all  things  for  this  pearl  of  great  price, 
and  the  soul's  living  and  depending  on  Christ  for  wisdom,  righte- 
ousness, sanctification  and  redemption. 

But,  to  render  the  subject  as  plain  as  possible,  we  shall  men- 
tion a  number  of  scriptural  expressions  by  which  the  nature  and 
operations  of  faith  are  illustrated:  thus,  John  styles  it,  a  re^ceiv- 
ing  of  Christ.  ^''But  as  many  as  received  him,  to  them  gave  he 
power  to  become  the  sons  of  God,  even  to  them  that  believed  on  his 
name.''''  From  this  passage,  it  is  evident  that  Christ  is  the  free 
gift  of  the  Father,  presented  to  us  in  the  gospel,  and  he  is  ours, 
when  we  accept  of  him.  It  is  called,  a  flying  for  refuge  to  the 
hope  set  before  us:  '''•Who  have  fled  for  refuge  to  lay  hold  upon  the 
hope  set  before  us.''''  This  expression  has  a  particular  allusion  to 
the  man  slayer,  under  the  law,  who  fled  from  the  avenger  of 
blood.  The  pursued  person  was  not  to  turn  aside  to  any  of  the 
cities  of  Israel ;  he  was  not  to  flee  to  his  own  house,  nor  to  the 
temple,  but  to  the  city  of  refuge.  So,  the  awakened  sinner  must 
fly  to  Christ,  the  only  hiding  place  from  the  storm  and  covert 
from  the  tempest  of  God's  wrath.  The  curse  of  the  law  and 
the  flaming  sword  of  divine  justice  pursue  the  sinner,  and  there 
is  no  hiding  place  in  earth  or  heaven  but  in  Jesus  Christ,  who 
stands  with  outstretched  arms  and  yearning  bowels,  Awhile  Geth- 
semane's  agonies  and  Calvary's  dying  groans  proclaim  his  wil- 
lingness to  receive  and  shelter  even  the  chief  of  sinners.  As 
the  man  slayer,  when  he  entered  the  city  of  refuge,  was  secure, 
so  the  sinner  who  has  fled  to  Christ  is  in  perfect  safety,  for  jus- 
tice is  satisfied,  and  all  the  attributes  of  God  are  glorified  by  the 
death  of  Jesus.  It  is  called  a  submitting  to  the  righteousness  of 
God:  they  '■''have  not  submitted  themselves  to  the  righteousness  of 
God.''''  What  a  condescending  expression !  Shall  it  be  termed 
submission  for  a  condemned  criminal  to  accept  of  a  pardon,  or 
for  a  person  destitute  of  clothes  to  accept  of  a  garment?  The 
expression  plainly  points  out  the  arrogant  pride  of  the  heart  of 
man.  While  we  are  in  a  state  of  nature,  we  imagine  our- 
selves completely  covered  with  a  perfect  robe  of  righteous- 
ness of  our  own  manufacture;  like  the   Laodiceans,  we  think 


84  THK  BELIEVER 

that  we  are  '''rich  and  increased  in  goods^  and  have  need  of  no- 
thing;''^ and  we  disdain  to  be  obliged  to  another  for.  his  righteous- 
ness; but  when  the  sinner,  by  faith,  lays  hold  of  Christ,  all  these 
towering  imaginations  are  levelled  with  the  dust,  and  he  counts 
"a//  things  hut  dung  that  he  may  zvin  Christ ;"  '^Not  having  his 
own  righteousness^  but  the  righteousness  of  God  by  faith;''''  and 
the  language  of  his  heart  is,  "/;i  the  Lord  have  I  righteousness.'''' 

It  is  called  a  taking  hold  of  God's  covenant:  '''•Take  hold  of 
my  covenant.''''  The  gospel  may  be  compared  to  a  rope  cast 
among  a  number  of  drowning  men; — God,  by  his  ministers, 
cries  to  perishing  sinners,  who  are  sinking  into  the  gulf  of  hell, 
"Take  hold  of  my  covenant,"  and  I  will  deliver  you  from  go- 
ing down  into  the  pit.  When  a  sinner  believes  in  Christ,  he 
takes  hold  of  this  rope  of  salvation,  the  covenant  of  grace,  like 
Jeremiah,  who  took  hold  of  the  cords  let  down  to  him  in  the 
pit;  on  this  he  lays  his  whole  weight,  saying,  "^Az5  is  all  my  sal- 
vation and  all  my  desire  f  on  this  I  trust  my  perishing  soul. 

It  is  called  the  opening  of  the  heart  to  Christ:  '■'•Behold  I  stand 
at  the  door  and  knock;  if  any  man  hear  my  voice,  and  open  the 
door,  I  will  come  in  to  him,  and  loill  sup  with  him  and  he  with  me.'''' 
When  Lydia  believed  on  Christ,  it  is  said,  "TAe  Lord  opened 
her  heart.''''  This  expression  implies  that  the  heart  of  the  sinner 
is  barred  and  bolted  against  Christ,  but  no  sooner  does  he  by 
faith  view  his  beauty  and  excellency  than  the  doors  of  the  un- 
derstanding and  affections  fly  open,  and  the  King  of  glory  en- 
ters in  with  all  his  heavenly  train.  It  is  termed  a  feeding  on 
Christ:  '•^Except  ye  eat  the  flesh  of  the  Son  of  man,  and  drink  his 
blood,  ye  have  no  life  in  you.''''  This  expression  implies  that  the 
believer  takes  hold  of  Christ  and  applies  him  to  his  own  particu- 
lar case,  as  a  starving  man  takes  food  and  eats  it. 

It  is  termed  '•Hhe  substance  of  things  hoped  for^  the  evidence  of 
things  not  sem-^^  It  is  to  the  believer  what  bonds,  deeds  and 
charters  are  to  the  m,an  of  business,  which,  although  only  so 
many  pieces  of  paper,  are  the  substance  and  certain  evidence 
of  wealth  and  riches;  so  the  word  and  promise  of  God  are  the 
believer's  bonds,  or  the  evidence  of  his  right  to  "a  cj-own  of  glo- 
ry that  fade.th  not  away.""  It  is  called  a  looking  unto  Christ: 
^^  They  shall  look  upon  me  whom  they  pierced;'"  and  in  the  text  it 
is  represented  as  an  embracng  of  Christ:  ^''Then  took  he  him  up 
in  his  arms.''''  Simeon  took  Christ  in  his  bodily  arms,  but  it  was 
his  embracing  him  in  the  arms  of  faith  which  caused  him  to  bless 
God;  and  of  the  arms  of  faith,  we  would  notice  the  following 
particulars : 

1st.  They  are  leaning  arms;  they  hold  by  Christ  in  his  word 
and  promises:  they  rest  upon  him  as  upon  an  immovable  rock. 
As  a  sickly  female  clasps  her  arms  around  her  beloved  husband, 
and  leans  upon  him  while  his  strength  is  sufficient  to  support  and 


EMBRACING  CHRIST.  85 

bear  her  along,  so  faith  leans  upon  Christ,  and  depends  upon  his 
all-sufficiency  for  all  things  necessary  for  time  and  eternit\-. — 
And  this  is  the  meaning  of  these  words,  "T^^o  is  this  that  corneth 
up  from  the  wilderness^  leaning  upon  her  beloved?''''  ^^Thou  loilt 
keep  him  in  perfect  peace  lohose  mind  is  stayed  on  thee^  because  lit 
trusteth  in  thee.'''' 

2d.  They  are  winning  arms ;  hence  saith  the  Apostle, "/  have 
suffered  the  loss  of  all  things,  and  count  them  but  dung,  that  I 
may  win  Christ.^''  Saith  Christ,  "77?e  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like 
unto  a  merchantman  seeking  goodly  pearls,  who,  when  he  had 
found  one  pearl  of  great  jyr ice,  went  and  sold  all  that  he  had  and 
bought  it.''"'  This  evidently  alludes  to  the  believer's  parting  with 
all  the  pleasures  of  this  world  that  he  may  win  Christ.  Faith  is 
such  a  winning  grace  that  it  is  always  receiving  from  Christ's 
fulness  '''grace  for  grace.''''  It  digs  into  the  Rock  of  Ages  and 
finds  unsearchable  treasure;  it  sometimes  views  the  heavenly 
Canaan,  and  fills  the  heart  with  ''•joy  iinspeakable,  and  full  of 
glory:' 

3d.  They  are  capacious  arms.  The  w  orld,  with  all  its  pomp 
and  splendor,  cannot  fill  them.  Nothing  short  of  God  in  Christ 
can  do  this.  Saith  the  Apostle,  "/  count  all  things  but  loss  for 
the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesxts,  my  Lord.''"'  In- 
deed all  the  glories  of  heaven,  without  Christ,  could  not  satisfy 
the  believing  soul.  Saith  the  Psalmist,  ^'whomhave  I  in  heaven 
but  thee?'' 

4th.  They  are  grasping  arms;  they  not  only  stretch  wide  and 
embrace  much,  but  they  hold  fast  what  they  get.  Saith  the 
spouse, "/AeZrf  him  fast,  and  would  not  let  him  go."  They  take  hold 
of  the  omnipotent  God  and  will  not  let  him  go,  even  when  he 
seems  to  shake  himself  loose;  a  plain  example  of  this  we  have 
in  the  case  of  Jacob,  who  took  hold  of  the  angel  of  the  cove- 
nant; and  what  is  truly  wonderful,  the  Creator  becomes  a  sim- 
pliant  to  his  creature,  saying,  ^'Let  me  go:'''  but  the  faith  of  Ja- 
cob replies,  ^'Izoilhtot  let  thee  go,  except  thou  bless  me;"  as  if  he 
should  say — The  day  may  break,  the  night  may  come,  and  the 
day  may  break  again,  yet  "/  will  not  let  thee  go,  except  thou  bless 
me."  And  thus  poor,  helpless  Jacob,  and  the  all-sufficient  and 
compassionate  God,  will  not  part  until  the  blessing  come.  By 
the  strength  of  the  prayer  of  faith,  "Ae  had  power  over  the  angel, 
and  prevailed ;  he  wept  and  made  supplication  unto  him."  In  like 
manner,  the  faith  of  Moses  holds  back  the  sin  avenging  arm  of 
Jehovah:  '•^Now,  therefore,  let  me  alone,  that  my  wrath  may  wax 
hot  against  them,  and  that  I  may  consume  them."  '■'■And  Moses 
besought  the  Lord  his  God,  and  said.  Lord,  why  doth  thy  rvrath 
wax  hot  against  thy  people?  Turn  from  thy  fierce  wrath  and  re- 
pent  of  this  evil  against  thy  people.  And  the  Lord  repented  of  the 
evil  ichich  he  thought  to  do  unto  his  people."     Bv  faith  Joshua  in- 


86  THK     BELIEVER 

verted  the  laws  of  nature  and  stopped  the  sun  and  moon  in  their 
courses;  by  faith  Ehjah  shut  and  opened  the  heavens;  by  faith 
the  prison  door  opened  to  Peter,  and  the  chains  fell  from  his 
hands  and  feet;  in  a  word,  the  arms  of  faith  embrace  Christ, 
and  they  never  let  go  their  hold — the  first  hold  that  faith  takes 
of  Christ,  unites  the  soul  to  him  forever.  Saith  the  apostle, 
"PTAo  shall  separate  us  from  the  love  of  Christ?''''  "/  am  persuaded 
that  neither  death  nor  life,  nor  angels,  nor  principalities,  nor  pow- 
ers, nor  things  present,  nor  things  to  come,  nor  height,  nor  depth, 
nor  any  other  creature,  shall  be  able  to  separate  us  from  the  love 
of  God,  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord.'''' 

5th.  The  arms  of  faith  are  active.  True,  they  do  not  work 
for  reward  on  the  footing  of  the  old  covenant;  all  their  exer- 
tions are  like  those  of  the  beggar  when  he  receives  alms  with- 
out money  and  without  price.  Faith  manifests  its  heavenly  ori- 
gin by  a  cheerful  and  unreserved  obedience  to  all  the  commands 
of  God.  It  delights  in  the  law  of  God,  and  takes  the  sweetest 
pleasure  in  the  paths  of  duty ;  in  a  word,  "as  the  body  without  the 
spirit  is  dead,  so  faith  without  works  is  dead.'''' 

6th.  The  arms  of  faith  are  fighting  and  victorious;  therefore, 
the  apostle,  speaking  of  the  Old  Testament  worthies,  says  that, 
through  faith  they  suhdued  Txingdoms,  wrought  righteousness,  ob- 
tained promises,  stopped  the  mouths  of  lions,  quenched  the  violence  of 
Jire,  escaped  the  edge  of  the  siDord,out  of  weakness  were  made  strong, 
ivaxed  valiant  in  fight,  turned  to  flight  the  armies  of  the  aliens.^''  By 
the  arms  of  faith,  the  feeble  Christian  leans  upon  Omnipotence, 
and  thereby  gains  a  complete  victory  over  the  world,  the  flesh 
and  the  devil.  Faith  gains  all  its  victories  through  the  blood  of 
the  Lamb.  Saith  the  apostle  Paul,  "/con  do  all  through  Christ, 
icho  strengtheneth  mc.''''  Hence,  as  Rutherford  says,  "a  poor  milk 
maid  in  the  chimney  corner,  by  the  prayer  of  faith,  can  do  more 
f|K  the  church  of  Christ,  than  a  general  with  a  hundred  thousand 
men ;  for,  by  one  act  of  faith,  she  sets  all  the  wheels  of  Omnipo- 
tence to  work." 

II.  When  the  believer  takes  Christ  in  his  arms  of  faith,  he  em- 
braces him  in  his  conversion;  when  the  almighty  arm  of  Jesus 
snatches  him  as  a  brand  from  the  burning,  draws  him  from  the 
horrible  pit  and  the  miry  clay,  and  sets  him  upon  the  Rock  of 
Ages,  view  him  upon  the  brink  of  a  burning  hell,  the  hopes  of 
mercy  almost  gone,  scarce  a  peradventure  left;  the  arrows  of 
the  Almighty  sticking  fast  in  his  heart,  poisoning  and  drinking  up 
his  spirits,  the  burning  beams  of  the  wrath  of  God  falling  upon 
his  soul,  and  the  forebodings  of  hell  racking  his  conscience;  see 
him  lost  to  all  hope  in  himself,  making  this  last  resolve,  I  will  go 
to  Jesus,  and  if  1  perish,  I  will  perish  at  his  feet;  when  all  ap- 
pears dark,  gloomy  and  hopeless,  the  light  of  the  knoM'ledge  of  the 
glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Christ  Jesus  breaks  into  his  soul;  the 


EMBRACING   CHRIST,  87 

glorious  plan  of  salvation  is  laid  open  to  his  view;  by  faith  he  be- 
holds the  precious  loving  Jesus  arrayed  in  all  the  boundless  glo- 
ries and  excellencies  of  the  Godhead,  able  to  save  unto  the  utter- 
most, a  Saviour  suited  exactly  to  his  desperate  case,  and  with  joy 
he  accepts  of  him  on  the  terms  upon  which  he  is  offered  in  the 
gospel,  viz:  freely,  fully,  cordially  Tind  affectionately,  without  mo- 
ney and  without  price ;  that  is,  without  any  recommending  quali- 
fications. Says  the  sinner,  this  Christ  just  suits  me,  and  that  mo 
ment  his  heart  yields;  and  w^hen  by  faith  he  views  this  precious 
Saviour,  all  his  burden  of  sin  and  guilt  is  carried  away  and  lost 
in  the  red  sea  of  divine  blood,  and  joy  and  peace  flow  like  a 
stream  from  the  Eternal  Throne  into  his  soul.  When  faith  views 
Christ  as  truly  God  and  truly  man,  possessed  of  all  the  perfec- 
tions of  the  Godhead  and  of  every  excellency  of  which  human 
nature  is  capable,  then  his  language  is,  he  is  precious.  None 
but  Christ  will  do  for  me.  ^'•Wliotn  have  I  in  heaven  hut  thee, 
and  there  is  none  upon  the  earth  I  desire  beside  thee.'''  When  faith 
views  the  effects  of  the  mediation  of  Jesus  Christ,  viz:  justifica- 
tion, sanctification,  glorification  and  eternal  life,  and  the  believ- 
er feels  the  Spirit  of  God  bearing  witness  w'ith  his  spirit  that  his 
sins  are  pardoned,  that  God  is  his  father  reconciled  in  Christ,  and 
he  can  cry,  '"'"Abba,  Father,  my  Lord  and  my  God,''^  then  created 
language  cannot  describe  the  feelings  of  his  heart,  then  like  aged 
Simeon  he  embraces  Christ,  he  presses  him  to  his  heart  and  he 
blesses  God. 

2d.  The  believer  sometimes  takes  Christ  in  the  arms  of  faith 
and  embraces  him,  when,  like  aged  Simeon,  he  comes  to  the 
house  of  God,  and  the  word  being  faithfully  preached,  is  carried 
with  power  to  his  soul,  enlightening  his  understanding,  giving 
him  a  Pisgah  view  of  the  promised  land,  and  clear  evidences  of 
his  interest  in  that  glorious  inheritance  purchased  by  the  blood 
of  Christ. 

3d.  The  believer  takes  Christ  in  his  arms,  when  exercised  in 
the  furnace  of  afiliction,  he  is  visited  by  Christ,  as  in  the  case  of 
Jacob,  when  to  the  view  of  sense  and  reason  all  things  are 
against  him.  O  how  sweet  is  a  smile  from  Christ  at  such  a 
time !  and  what  a  heaven  upon  earth  is  it  then  to  embrace  him 
in  the  arms  of  faith!  thus  Shadrach,.Meshech  and  Abednegohad 
Christ  in  their  arms  when  they  were  thrown  into  Nebuchadnez- 
zar's fiery  furnace.  When  Daniel  was  cast  into  the  lion's  den, 
by  faith  he  embraced  Christ;  when  Paul  and  Silas  were  confined 
in  the  dungeon,  they  had  Christ  in  their  arms  and  sung  psalms 
at  midnight;  when  John  was  in  the  isle  of  Patmos,  and  Christ 
appeared  to  him  in  his  glory,  he  embraced  him  in  the  arms  of 
faith;  and  when  the  blessed  martyrs  were  dying  with  the  most 
excruciating  pains,  they  had  Christ  in  their  arms  of  faith,  and 
thereby  were  enabled  to  triumph  over  death  in  its  most  terrific 


88  I'HE  BKLIEVKK 

form,  and  declared  to  the  spectators  that  in  the  midst  of  flames 
and  faggots  they  experienced  no  more  pain  tiian  if  they  were 
lying  on  a  bed  of  roses. 

4th.  The  believer  sometimes  meets  Christ  and  embraces  him 
in  the  arms  of  faith  when  he  is  seated  at  a  communion  table, 
then  by  faith,  he  sees  a  mangled,  bleeding,  dying,  rising,  triumph- 
ant Jesus,  heading  his  own  table,  and  feasting  his  blood-bought 
children  with  the  bread  of  life  and  the  milk  and  honey  of  Ca- 
naan. Then  faith  views  hhn  in  ineffable  glory  with  a  crown 
upon  his  head,  arrayed  in  the  dyed  garments  of  salvation,  with 
his  vesture  dipped  in  blood,  and  that  name  written  upon  Ms  robe 
and  upon   his  thigh,  "The   King  of  Kings,  and  the  Lord  of 

LORDS." 

The  believer  embraces  Christ  in  the  arms  of  faith  in  the  hour 
of  death,  w^hen  his  body  is  about  to  return  to  the  dust,  and  his 
soul  to  wing  its  flight  to  his  Father's  house.  O  believer,  how 
sweet  will  it  be  to  die  with  Christ  in  your  arms!  then  death  will 
have  no-  terror  for  you,  then  like  Moses  you  will  die  in  the  cm- 
braces  of  God,  and  like  Stephen. you  will  behold  "/Ae  Aeat'ew.v 
opened,  and  Jesus  standing  at  the  right  hand  of  Godf  and  you 
will  be  enabled  to  sing  the  victor's  song,  "O  death,  where  is  thy 
sting?     O  grave,  where  is  thy  victory?" 

III.  The  effects  of  the  believer's  meeting  with  and  embracing 
Christ.  When  Simeon  met  with  Christ  at  the  temple,  he  took 
him  in  his  arms  and  blessed  God,  and  the  moment  the  believer 
embraces  Christ,  he  praises  God.  No  sooner  was  David  drawn 
from  the  horrible  pit  and  miry  clay,  and  his  feet  placed  on  the 
Rock  of  Ages,  than  a  new  song  was  in  his  mouth,  "praises  to 
our-  God."  When  the  Ethiopian  Eunuch  found  Christ,  he  went 
on  his  way  rejoicing,  and  many  are  the  songs  of  praise  uttered 
by  the  believer  when  he  embraces  Christ  in  the  arms  of  faith, 
thus  he  sings  the  everlasting  and  unmerited  love  of  God;  when 
the  soul  is  enlightened  to  behold  the  transcendant  beauty  of  Dei- 
ty, when  he  sees  his  sin,  his  word,  his  law,  and  the  plan  of  sal- 
vation, in  all  their  excellency,  then  he  is  in  love  and  wonder; 
when  he  beholds  the  horrid  depravity  and  misery  of  the  human 
race,  and  considers  the  wonderful  condescension  of  Jehovah, 
displayed  in  the  plan  of  their  salvation,  then  the  language  of  his 
heart  is,  "O  how  infinite  is  that  love  which  influenced  the  Eter- 
nal Jehovah  to  look  upon  such  a  worthless  wretch  as  I,  welter- 
ing in  my  blood."  And  did  he  look  with  an  eye  of  compassion 
upon  me  among  the  many  millions  of  Adam's  ruined  race,  upon 
me,  who,  if  possible,  was  more  guilty,  abominable  and  deserving 
of  hell  than  all  the  rest: — Did  Jesus  undertnke  my  cause  infinite 
ages  before  I  had  an  existence?  O  amazing  and  unutterable 
grace!  Let  me  sink  into  nothing  before  the  Eternal  All,  for  I 
am  lost  in  wonder, love  and  praise! 


EMBRACING    CHRIST.  89 

When  Christ  is  in  the  behever's  arms,  he  possesses  his  highest 
affections,  then  he  is  on  his  lips,  and  is  the  subject  matter  of  all 
his  songs  of  praise;  and  it  is  not  wonderful  that  Christ  should 
possess  the  affections,  and  that  his  name  should  be  upon  the  lips 
of  the  believer,  when  we  reflect  that  he  became  his  surety,  as- 
sumed his  nature,  wept  in  Bethlehem,  sweat  blood  in  agony  in 
Gethsemane,  and  groaned  and  died  on  Calvary,  shedding  the 
last  drop  of  his  precious  blood  as  the  price  of  his  ransom.  No 
wonder  that  Christ  should  be  the  subject  matter  of  the  believer's 
songs  of  praise,  when  he  burst  the  bars  of  death,  rose  triumph- 
ant, led  captivity  captive,  and  received  gifts  for  men,  and  has 
gone  to  heaven  to  prepare  a  place  for  all  his  blood  bought  pur- 
chase. The  burning  throne  of  justice  has  been  sprinkled  with 
his  blood,  and  Jehovah  now  appears  clothed  in  love.  The  en- 
lightening, convicting,  and  sanctifying  influences  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  now  flow  like  "<z  pure  river  of  water ^  clear  as  crystal^  from 
the  throne  of  God  and  the  Lamb.^''  Jesus  Christ  purchased  all 
temporal,  spiritual,  and  eternal  blessings  for  his  people ;  he  is  in- 
finitely amiable  and  excellent  in  his  person,  nature  and  offices; 
therefore  it  is  not  wonderful  that  he  should  be  the  subject  mat- 
ter of  the  believer's  songs  of 'praise;  when  by  faith  they  em- 
brace him  in  this  world,  and  when  they  arrive  at  their  Father's 
house,  heaven  will  ring  with  their  loud  and  everlasting  acclama- 
tions of  praise  and  glory  to  him  that  sitteth  on  the  throne,  and 
to  the  Lamb  forever.     Amen. 


14 


SERMON    IX 


TH£  EXPERIENCE  AND  PRIVILEGES  OF  THE  TRUE 
REI/IEVER. 


There  is  now  therefore  no  condemnation  to  them  which  arc  in  Christ 
Jesus,  who  walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the  spirit.. — Ro- 
mans viii.  1 . 


As  one  star  diflers  from  another  in  magnitude,  so  the  epistle 
to  the  Romans  has  a  greater  lustre  and  beauty  than  many  other 
parts  of  the  sacred  volume ;  and  the  eighth  chapter  seems  to  pos- 
sess a  beauty  and  dignity  transcending  every  other  part  of  the 
epistle.  This  chapter  contains  a  short  synopsis  of  all  the  lead- 
ing doctrines  of  the  cross.  Here,  the  whole  eternal  scheme  of 
redemption  is  marked  out  from  its  origin  in  the  eternal  counsels 
of  the  Deity,  until  its  termination  in  the  glorification  and  eternal 
blessedness  of  all  who  are  purchased  by  the  blood  of  Christ. 
The  eternal  electing  love  of  God,  effectual  calling,  justfication, 
and  glorification,  are  here  represented  as  being  inseparably 
connected,  like  the  links  of  a  chain;  therefore,  the  chapter  be- 
gins with  "?io  condemnation  to  them  which  are  in  Christ  Jesus,''^ 
and  concludes  with.  ^^  710  separation  from  the  love  of  God.'''' 

In  this  chapter  we  have  the  most  plain  and  decisive  charac- 
teristics of  the  heaven-born  Christian ;  by  which  all  the  followers 
of  Christ  may  prove  their  union  to  him,  and  read  their  title  to 
their  blood-bought  inheritance  in  the  heavenly  paradise.  Here 
you  may  find  the  rich  clusters  of  the  sweet  promises  of  God,  hang- 
ing on  Christ  Jesus,  the  living  vine,  fraught  with  the  new  wine 
of  Canaan.  Here  Christ's  sufferings  and  death,  his  triumphant 
resurrection  and  ascension  to  the  mediatorial  throne,  and  his 
all  prevailing  intercession  with  the  Father,  are  laid  down  as  the 
grand  basis  of  the  believer's  hope,  and  the  inexhaustible  source 
of  his  happiness,  in  time  and  through  eternity.  Here  we  are  in- 
formed that  all  the  persons  in  the  Trinity,  ;dl  the  attributes   of 


THE    EXPERIENCE     AND    PRIVILEGES,   &C.  91 

the  Deity,  with  all  his  eternal  councils,  and  all  the  unsearch- 
able providences  of  God,  are  engaged  in  behalf  of  true  believers, 
a  view  of  which,  causes  the  apostle  to  cry  out,  "W7«o  shall  lay 
any  thing  to  the  charge  of  God's  elect?''''  "  It  is  God  that  justifi- 
eth;  who  is  he  that  condemneth?''''  ^^  It  is  Christ  that  died;  yea 
rather^  that  is  risen  again^  who  is  even  at  the  right  hand  of  God, 
who  also  maketh  intercession  for  us.  Who  shall  separate  us  from 
the  love  of  Christ  ?  shall  tribulation,  or  distress,  or  persecution,  or 
famine,  or  nakedness,  or  peril,  or  sivord?'''  "  /  am  persuaded  that 
neither  death,  nor  life,  nor  angels,  nor  principalities,  nor  powers, 
nor  things  present,  nor  things  to  come,  nor  height,  nor  depth,  nor 
any  other  creature,  shall  be  able  to  separate  us  from  the  love  of 
God,  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord.'''' 

In  the  preceding  chapter,  the  apostle  gives  us  a  brief  nar- 
rative of  his  spiritual  exercises.  He  begins  with  his  first 
awakenings,  and  relates  not  only  the  work  of  conversion,  but 
also  states  his  conflicts  with  the  remaining  corruptions  of  his 
fallen  nature,  in  the  progressive  work  of  sanctification;  and 
although  he  had  many  hard  struggles,  with  a  body  of  sin  and 
death,  yet  upon  an  impartial  self-examination,  he  declares,  that  he 
did  not  wilfully  sin,  but  that  he  delighted  in  the  law  of  God 
after  the  inner  man;  that  with  his  mind  he  served  the  law  of 
God,  and  that  he  felt  the  remains  of  sin  in  his  soul  as  a  filthy 
and  loathsome  distemper  which  he  hated,  and  longed  to  be  de- 
livered from,  as  from  a  dead,  putrid,  and  rotten  carcase,  crawl- 
ing with  filthy  vermin.  From  these  considerations  he  proves  his 
gracious  state,  and  having  glorified  God  that  he  was  united  to 
Christj  in  the  words  of  the  text,  he  shows  the  unspeakable  privi- 
leges, and  indescribable  blessings  to  which  he  was  entitled  by 
virtue  of  that  union. 

In  the  text  three  things  are  asserted  of  all  genuine  Christians; 

Its.  Their  blessed  condition;  "T^ey  arej,n  Christ  Jesus;  they 
have  fled  to  the  city  of  refuge;  they  are  in  the  strong  hold,  appointed 
for  the  prisoner's  of  hope.''''  Says  the  Holy  Spirit,  "  The  name  of  the 
Lord  is  a  strong  tower,  and  the  righteous  run  into  it,  and  are  safe.''^ 
Again,  "  They  shall  dwell  on  high;  their  place  of  defence  shall 
he  the  munition  of  rocks''^ — ^Hhe  strong  impregnable  rocks  of  the 
divine  attributes.^'' 

2d.  The  blessed  consequence  of  being  in  Christ.  They  are 
freed  from  condemnation;  they  are  under  the  covert  of  Christ's 
blood  and  righteousness;  Christ  has  magnified  the  law  and  made 
it  honorable;  justice  has  received  complete  satisfaction  in  the 
streaming  blood,  and  dying  agonies  of  the  incarnate  God ;  God, 
the  Father,  is  well  pleased  with  the  believing  sinners,  for  the 
sake  of  the  righteousness  of  his  Son  Jesus;  therefore  they  are 
freed  from  condemnation,  '^for  who  shall  lay  any  thing  to  the 
charge  of  God's  elect  ?" 


92  THE    EXPERIENCE    AND    PRIVILEGES 

3d.  The  evidence  of  their  being  in  Christ  expressed  in  a  two- 
fold manner. 

1st.  Negatively.  "  They  walk  not  afteT  the  Jlesh,^^  sin  is  the 
object  of  their  abhorrence.  The  depraved  appetites  of  the 
fallen  nature;  are  so  contrary  to  the  heaven-born  principles  im- 
planted in  their  souls,  that  they  flee  from  them  as  from  the 
dagger  of  a  murderer;  therefore,  they  do  not  choose  them,  de- 
light in  them,  or  go  after  their  gratification :  hence,  it  is  said, 
with  propriety,  "  They  walk  not  after  the  Jlesh,  but  after  the 
Spirit." 

2d.  But  postively,  they  walk  after  the  spirit,  that  is,  they  are 
bound  for  the  better  country;  they  are  travelling  home  to  God, 
on  the  narrow  way  that  leads  to  life;  they  walk  in  the  foot- 
steps of  Jesus;  their  path  is  hedged  in  by  the  law  and  gospel, 
and  the  Holy  Spirit  is  their  guide ;  therefore,  they  "  walk  after 
the  spirit." 

In  further  attending  to  the  subject,  I  will, 

I.  Explain  the  phrase ,  "/«  Christ  Jesus." 

II.  Speak  of  the  progressive  life  of  sanctification,  which  is 
here  expressed  by  not  walking  ^^after  the  flesh." 

III.  Mention  some  of  the  consequences  attending  those,  who 
walk  "  not  after  the  flesh,  but  after  the  spirit." 

I.  The  phrase  "  In  Christ."     This  phrase  is  frequently  used 
in  the  New  Testament  as  one  of  the  most  distinguishing  pecu- 
liarities of  the  people  of  God;  and  particularly  expressive  of 
their  heaven-born  nature:  ".^  any  man  be  in, Christ  Jesus,  he  is 
a  new  creature:  old  things  are  passed  away;  behold  all  things  are 
become  new."     "  Salute  Andronicus  and  Junia,  my  kinsmen  and 
my  fellow-prisoners,  who  are  of  note  among  the  apostles,  who  also 
were  in  Christ  before  me."      "  Yea,"  Saith  the  Spirit,  Hhey  may 
rest  from  their  labors,  and  their  works  do  follow  them."     ^'■Them 
also  who  sleep  in  Jesus,  will  God  bring  with  him." 
The  phrase  "/%  Christ  Jesus,"  is  expressive 
1st.     Of  that  strict,  inseparable  union,  which  subsists  between 
Jesus  Christ  and  his  spiritual  children;  hence,  they  are  said  to 
be  in  him,  or  united  to  him,  as  the  branch  is  to  the  vine.     Christ 
is  frequently  represented  in  Scripture  as  the  head,  and  they,  the 
members  of  his  mystical  body.     This  union  is  so  intimate,  won- 
derful and  endearing,  that  they  are  said  to  be  '^one  with  him,"  as 
he  is  '•'■one  with  the  Father." 

2d.  To  be  in  Christ  Jesus  is  expressive  of  their  entire  depend- 
ence on  him  for  pardon,  justification,  sanctification  and  eternal 
life:  Christ  is  the  Lord,  their  righteousness.  Says  the  prophet 
Jeremiah,  "TAwz's  the  name  whei-eby  he  shall  be  called;  The  Lord, 
our  righteousness."  And  says- the  apostle  Paul,"Sii^  of  him,  ye 
are  in  Christ,  who  of  God,  is  made  unto  us  wisdom,  righteousness, 
sanctification,  and  redemption,"     Says  Isaiah,  '•'•Surely  shall  one 


i:& 


OF    THE    TRUE    BELIEVER.  93 

say^  in  the  Lord  have  I  righteousness  and  strength  ?"  The  Psalm- 
ist tells  us,  "T^ai  in  his  righteousness  they  shall  be  exalted;'''*  and 
saith  the  apostle,  "  Yea,  doubtless,  and  I  count  all  things  but  loss 
for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  my  Lord;  for 
whom  I  have  sitfered  the  loss  of  all  things,  and  do  count  them  but 
dung,  that  I  may  win  Christ,  and  be  found  in  him,  not  having 
mine  own  righteousness,  which  is  of  the  law,  but  that  which  is 
through  the  faith  of  Christ,  the  righteousness  which  is  of  God  by 
faith.'' 

But  to  sum  up  the  whole  in  one  word;  to  be  in  Chrfet  Jesus  • 
signifies  the  relation  in  which  his  people  stand  to  him,  as  their 
covenant  head.  When  first  created,  God  entered  into  a  cove- 
nant with  Adam,  as  representative  of  all  his  posterity.  The 
condition  of  this  covenant,  on  Adam's  part,  was  perfect  obedi- 
ence; the  promise  on  God's  part,  was  eternal  life.  Now,  had 
Adam  kept  that  covenant,  and  perfectly  performed  the  condi- 
tions thereof,  he  would  have  secured  eternal  life,  for  himself  and 
all  his  posterity,  as  eifectually  as  he  deprived  himself  and  them 
of  it,  by  the  breach  of  that  covenant;  and  as  he  was  their  cove- 
nant head,  they  are  said  to  be  in  Adam :  First,  all  mankind  were 
seminally  in  him,  as  their  root  or  natural  cause  of  existence. 
Again,  they  were  in  him,  as  their  public  representative;  for  their 
eternal  life,  or  eternal  death,  deppnoed  on  his  performing,  or  not 
performing  the  conditions  of  that  covenant. 

Jesus  Christ,  the  second  Adam,  undertook  the  redemption  of 
fallen  man,  in  the  early  counsels  of  eternity;  he  engaged  to  as- 
sume our  fallen  and  degraded  nature,  and  thus  to  fulfill  the  law, 
and  satisfy  divine  justice,  in  the  room  of  his  elect:  To  work  out 
a  perfect  righteousness,  for  their  pardon  and  justification;  that 
God  might  be  '^just,  and  the  justifier  of  him  that  believeth  in  Je- 
sus.''' In  this  respect,  all  believers  are  in  Christ,  as  their  cove- 
nant head;  for,  as  the  first  Adam  represented  all  his  natural 
seed,  so  the  second  Adam  represented  all  his  spiritual  seed.— 7 
This  seems  to  be  the  very  idea  of  the  apostle,  when  he  says: 
"  J.S  in  Adam  all  die,  even  so  in  Christ  shall  all  be  made  alive." 
And  again,  ">So  by  the  obedience  of  one,  many  are  made  righteous.'" 

As  Adam's  natural  seed  were  semxinally  in  him  in  the  first  co- 
venant, as  their  natural  root,  and  federally  in  him,  as  their  pub- 
lic head,  so  in  the  second  covenant,  all  Christ's  spiritual  seed 
are  virtually  in  him,  as  their  spiritual  root,  and  actually  in  him, 
as  their  ^'•City  of  refuge — their  hiding  place,  and  strong  tower." 

That  they  were  virtually  in  Christ,  as  their  new  covenant 
head,  before  they  had  an  existence,  is  evident,  from  the  words 
of  eternal  truth:  "J.5  he  hath  chosen  us.  in  him,  before  the  foun- 
dation of  the  world,  that  we  should  be^holy  and  without  blame,  be- 
fore him  in  love," 


94  THE    EXPERIENCE    AND     PRIVILEGES 

That  they  were  in  Christ,  as  the  wheat  is  in  the  grain,  that 
was  buried  in  the  earth,  is  evident  from  the  words  of  Christ 
himself:  ^''Except  a  corn  of  wheat  fall  into  the  ground^  it  ahideth 
alone,  but  if  it  die,  it  bringeth  forth  much  fruit.''''  If  Christ  had 
never  died,  none  of  the  sons  and  daughters  of  Adam  could  have 
entered  heaven.  But  Jesus  died  to  give  life,  eternal  life,  to  ma- 
ny millions.  Christ  died,  and  was  laid  in  the  grave,  as  the  corn 
of  wheat  is  buried  in  the  earth.  And  O,  what  an  increase! 
what  an  astonishing  crop  springs  up  from  our  dying  Christ!  in- 
numerable millions  of  living  Christians;  an  exceeding  great  mul- 
titude, that  no  man  can  number;  -a  multitude  like  the  sand  by 
the  sea  shore — redeemed  out  of  all  nations,  and  kindreds,  and 
tongues,  and  people  upon  the  earth. 

But,  when  they  receive  Christ,  by  faith,  for  wisdom,  righte- 
ousness, sanctification  and  redemption,  they  are  actually  in  him 
as  their  great  covenant  head;  their  infinite,  inexhaustible,  and 
eternal  fountain  of  life,  in  whom  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead 
dwells  bodily ;  and,  therefore,  Christ  is  all  in  all  to  his  children ; 
by  his  merits  they  are  pardoned  and  accepted  with  God;  by  his 
righteousness  tliey  stand  justified  before  God;  by  his  Spirit  they 
are  sanctified  and  prepared  for  their  heavenly  inheritance. — 
Christ's  Word  and  Spirit,  like  a  cloud  and  pillar  of  fire,  guide 
their  feet  in  the  narrow  way,  a^d  almighty  grace  gives  them  the 
victory  over  sin,  death  and  hell,  and  at  last  puts  them  in  possess- 
ion of  their  everlasting  rest. 

But,  to  illustrate  the  subject  more  plainly,  we. shall  offer  a  few 
observations:  and, 

1.  All  mankind  by  nature  are  in  the  first  Adam,  and  involved 
with  him,  in  the  ruins  of  the  first  covenant.  It  is  evident,  that 
the  first  Adam  entailed  two  dreadful  evils  on  all  his  unhappy 
offspring,  viz: 

1  St.  The  curse  and  penalty  of  the  broken  covenant.- 

2d.  A  disposition  to  seek  eternal  life,  on  the  footing  of  that 
covenant. 

That  all  mankind  by  nature  are  fallen  creatures,  spiritually 
dead,  and  obnoxious  both  to  temporal  and  eternal  death,  is  a 
truth  which  no  one  can  deny,  who  knows  his  own  heart,  and 
views  the  depravity  and  wickedness  of  mankind  in  every  age 
and  generation  of  the  world,  or  who  consults  God's  written 
word. 

Again:  It  is  very  evident,  that  every  individual  of  Adam's 
race  (while  in  a  state  of  nature,)  tries  to  seek  salvation,  and  ex- 
pects happiness  on  the  j^rinciples  of  the  old  covenant,  from  his 
own  good  works.  One  says,  "I  am  a  good  member  of  civil  so- 
ciety, therefore  I  expect  to  be  happy  after  death."  Says  a  second, 
"It  is  true,  that  I  do  many  wrong  things,  but  I  also  do  many  good 
ones;  and  I  am  certain  my  good  actions  are  far  more  numerous 


OF    THE    TRUE    BELIEVER.  '  95 

than  my  evil  ones:  1  have  a  very  large  balance  in  my  favor; 
consequently,  I  expect  to  be  saved."  Says  a  third,  "I  am  just 
and  upright.  I  defy  the  world,  to  lay  any  thing  to  my  charge; 
therefore,  I  am  certain  of  heaven."  And  says  a  fourth,  "I  am 
sensible  that  I  am  a  sinner.  It  is  true,  I  have  led  a  wicked  life, 
but  then  I  do  as  well  as  I  can;  moreover,  I  expect  to  reform, 
and  become  a  good  Christian  before  I  die."  These  and  fifty  other 
classes  might  be  mentioned,  who  are  all  trusting  in  their  own 
righteousness,  and  depending  on  the  law,  as  a  covenant  of  works 
for  their  salvation,  while  the  God-exalting  and  creature-humbling 
plan  of  redemption,  through  the  merits  of  Christ,  appears  in 
their  view  both  mean  and  contemptible. 

Before  any  of  the  sons  or  daughters  of  Adam  will  renounce 
their  own  righteousness,  and  submit  to  the  terms  of  sovereign 
mercy,  they  must  be  cut  off  and  totally  divorced  from  the  old 
covenant,  by  the  Almighty  power  and  agency  of  the  Divine 
Spirit.  In  order  to  accomplish  this  important  purpose,  the  sin- 
ner's eyes  must  be  opened  to  see  his  lost,  guilty  condition;  and 
this  is  done  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  a  day  of  power.  Now  the 
sinner  sees  that  he  is  guilty,  condemned,  and  exposed  to  the 
torments  of  hell;  immediately  he  works  for  life,  on  the  princi- 
ples of  the  old  covenant.  First,  he  reforms  his  life;  he  breaks 
off  from  swearing,  drinking.  Sabbath  breaking,  gaming,  dancing, 
&c.,  and  now  he  imagines  all  is  well  with  him.  But  the  I^ivine 
Spirit  brings  the  law,  with  greater  light  and  power,  to  his  con- 
science, and  shows  him  that  this  negative  righteousness  is  a  bed 
too  short  to  stretch  himself  on,  and  a  covering  too  narrow  to 
wrap  himself  in.  Still  cleaving  to  the  old  covenant,  the  sinner 
now  betakes  himself  to  a  diligent  and  punctual  attendance  on 
all  the  external  duties  of  religion;  he  prays  in  secret  and  in  his 
family;  he  reads  the  Scriptures,  and  attends  the  preaching  of  the 
word  upon  every  occasion.  Now  his  conscience  begins  to  take 
ease,  and  he  makes  a  Christ  of  his  duties.  But  the  Holy  Spirit 
lays  open  to  his  view  the  secret  evil  and  hidden  wickedness  of 
his  heart,  and  convinces  him  that  his  state  is  unclean,  polluted 
and  vile,  still  cleaving  to  the  old  covenant.  The  sinner  now  tries 
to  amend  his  amendments,  and  to  reform  his  reformations;  he 
endeavors  to  patch  the  ragged  garment  of  his  own  righteous- 
ness; he  tries  to  have  his  heart  deeply  affected  in  every  duty; 
when  he  prays,  he  is  quite  dissatisfied,  unless  he  feels  some  more 
than  common  enlargement;  when  he  hears  a  sermon,  he  is  quite 
uneasy,  unless  he  can  shed  tears;  and  his  heart  is  deeply  affect- 
ed. Here  his  conscience  takes  ease,  and  he  makes  a  Christ  of 
his  tears,  enlargements,  and  melting  frames.  But  the  Holy  Spi- 
rit of  God  redoubles  the  light  of  conviction;  breaks  up  the  foun- 
tain of  the  great  deep  of  his  depraved  heart;  shows  him  his  pride, 
hypocrisy,  Atheism,  legality  and  unbelief,  his  vile  affections  and 


96  THE    EXPERIENCE    AND     PRIVILEGES 

filthy  imaginations,  with  ten  thousand  other  abommadons  he 
never  discovered  before.  Now  he  weeps  and  prays,  and  cries 
for  mercy;  he  strives  as  for  life,  to  cleanse  this  Augean  stable, 
and,  like  a  man  using  every  possible  exertion  to  build  a  dam 
across  a  raj)id  current,  he  piles  up  an  immense  bank  of  duties, 
prayers,  tears,  resolutions  and  desires,  to  stop  the  impetuous 
flood  of  in-dwelling  sin  and  in-bred  corruption ;  till  at  length  he 
meets  with  some  surprising  enlargement.  Now  his  heart  is 
melted;  he  is  all  tenderness;  he  is  filled  with  a  lively  flow  of 
affections;  and  he  can  pour  out  his  soul  in  the  sweetest  enlarge- 
ment in  prayer;  all  his  burden  and  distress  appear  to  be  quite 
gone,  and  still  cleaving  to  the  old  covenant,  he  takes  ease  to  his 
conscience,  and  makes  a  Christ  of  the  peace,  joy,  and  satisfac- 
tion he  feels;  but  when  these  have  measurably  subsided,  at  the 
root  of  his  false  hope  there  is  a  secret  sentiment  of  condemna- 
tion; conscience  secretly  tells  him,  there  is  something  in  reli- 
gion of  which  he  is  ignorant;  every  practical,  experimental  and 
searching  sermon  condemns  him;  when  he  hears  the  new  birth 
described,  and  the  believer's  first  views  of  Christ,  with  their 
subsequent  eflects  and  consequences,  he  finds  a  dark  spot  in  his 
experience,  that  blasts  his  hope.  In  order  to  dislodge  him  from 
his  refuge  of  lies,  the  Holy  Spirit  now  sends  the  light  of  convic- 
tion, with  redoubled  vigor,  into  his  soul ;  he  shows  him  that  he 
has  ao  foundation  in  the  whole  word  of  God,  for  a  hope  of  reli- 
gion; that  all  his  joys  and  hopes  are  wild  delusions;  that  his 
whole  nature  is  sin;  his  heart  filled  with  enmity  and  hatred 
against  God;  that  he  has  no  more  power  to  think  a  good  thought, 
or  do  a  good  action,  or  to  command  one  holy  desire,  or  pious 
affection,  than  he  has  to  create  a  world,  or  raise  the  dead  from 
their  graves.  Now  he  beholds  the  flaming  sword  of  divine  jus- 
tice, unsheathed  and  pointed  at  his  guilty  heart;  now  vengeance 
frowns,  and  hell  gapes  to  receive  him  to  her  burning  centre; 
now  he  asks  from  the  heart.  What  shall  I  do  to  be  saved?  The 
ministers  of  the  gospel,  God's  Word,  and  his  Holy  Spirit  say 
to  him,  '•'•Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christy  and  thou  shall  he 
saved.''"' 

He  tries  to  obey  the  commands  of  the  gospel,  but  still,  upon 
the  principles  of  the  old  covenant,  he  endeavors  to  spin  a  faith 
out  of  his  own  bowels;  but  faith,  in  its  very  nature,  appears  to 
be  a  dark  mystery.  Christ,  the  glorious  object  of  faith,  is  entire- 
ly an  unknown  object;  all  is  dark  as  midnight.  He  can  no 
more  keep  tlie  law,  than  he  can  create  a  world;  and  he  can  no 
more  believe  or  act  faith,  than  he  can  raise  the  dead.  And  what 
shall  he  do  ?  When  he  is  dead  to  all  hope  in  himself;  stripped  of 
his  own  righteousness,  as  naked  as  the  new-born  infant;  when 
he  feels  a  Christless  state  intolerable;  when  he  can  live  no  longer 
without  Christ;  when  he  can  do  nothing,  but, like  tKe  poor  pub- 


OP    THE    TRUK    BELIKVKR.  97 

lican,  cry,  '■''Lord,  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner  f^  like  sinking  Pe- 
ter, ^'•Lord,  save,  or  I  perish;^''  like  blind  Bartimeus,  ^^ Jesus  of 
J\azareth,  thou  son  of  David,  have  mercy  on  me;''''  or,  Uke  the 
poor  Leper,  "iorrf,  if  thou  wilt,  thou  canst  make  me  cZeaw.'^  Oft- 
en in  the  most  dismal,  hopeless,  helpless,  desperate  time,  the  glo- 
rious, rich  provision  of  the  New  Testament  is  unveiled;  God, 
who  at  first  commanded  the  light  to  shine  out  of  darkness,  now 
shines  into  his  heart;  and  gives  him  "/Ae  light  of  the  knowledge  of 
the  glory  of  God,  in  the  face  of  Christ  Jesus.''''  Now  he  discov- 
ers the  glory,  beauty,  preciousness,  suitableness,  and  sufficiency 
of  Christ  Jesus,  the  blessed  new  covenant  head. 

When  Christ  opens  the  eyes  of  the  blind,  it  is  easy  to  see 
things  as  God  sees  them;  faith  now  views  Christ  in  his  person 
and  two  nature^,  and  in  all  his  mediatorial  offices;  a  precious, 
glorious,  able,  suitable,  willing  Saviour;  just  such  a  Saviour  as 
he  needs;  such  a  one  as  suits  his  hopeless,  helpless,  desperate 
case.  By  faith  he  views  the  city  of  refuge; — the  hiding  place 
from  the  storm  of  divine  vengeance;  "TAe  strong  toicer;'"'  '■''the 
strong  hold  for  the  prisoners  of  hope.''''  He  feels  himself  under 
the  covert  of  Christ's  blood  and  righteousness.  Now  he  can  say 
with  the  apostle,  '•'-Therefore,  being  justified  by  faith,  we  have 
peace  with  God''' — "  Yea,  doubtless,  and  I  count  all  things  but  loss, 
for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  my  Lord;  for 
zuhom  I  have  suffered  the  loss  of  all  things,  and  count  them  but  dung, 
that  I  may  win  Christ,  and  be  found  in  him,  riot  having  mine  own 
righteousness,  which  is  of  the  law;  but  that  which  is  through  the 
faith  of  Christ,  the  righteousness  which  is  of  God  by  faith.''''  Now 
the  soul  is  divorced  from  the  old  covenant,  and  married  to 
Christ,  the  heavenly  bridegroom.  He  is  totally  stripped  of  his 
filthy  garments,  the  rags  and  tatters  of  his  own  righteousness; 
and  is  clothed  in  linen,  white  and  clean;  the  white  robes  of 
Christ's  perfect  law,  fulfilling  righteousness.  Now  he  is  in  Christ 
Jesus — "iie  is  a  new  creature,  old  things  are  passed  away,  and 
behold  all  things  are  become  new  f  '•'cmd  now,  therefore,  there  is  no 
condemnation  to  them  that  are  in.  Christ  Jesus.'''' 

II.  Speak  of  the  progressive  life  of  sanctificaton;  which  is 
here  expressed,  by  not  walking  after  the  flesh,  which  is  the  ef- 
fect of  the  soul's  being  in  Christ.  A  living  fountain  will  always 
send  forth  a  vital  stream.  The  existence  of  the  sun  implies  con- 
stant emission  of  light.  The  existence  of  animal  life  will  una- 
voidably manifest  itself  by  breathing,  action,  appetite,  and  sen- 
sation. So  spiritual  life,  union  to  Christ,  or  being  Christ,  will 
manifest  itself  by  the  motions,  actions,  and  operations  of  the 
heaven  born  nature.  Regeneration  and  sanctification  are  as  in- 
separably connected,  as  the  cause  and  effect;  the  one  is  the  in- 
con  testible  proof  of  the  other.  Therefore,  alluding  to  the  state- 
ment in  our  text,  the  believing  soul's  being  in  Christ,  is  manifest- 


98  THE    EXPERIENCK    AND     PRIVILEGES 

ed  by  two  evKiences;  first  negatively;  "Ae  walks  not  after  the 
flesh:-     Second,  positively ;  ^'■he  walks  after  the  spirit:^ 

Flesh  and  spirit,  according  to  the  language  of  the  New- 
Testament,  signify  nature  and  grace;  or  the  old  nature  and  the 
new. 

Flesh  is  universally  taken  to  express  the  depravity  of  man's 
nature,  its  total  enmity  and  contrariety  to  the  nature  of  God; 
because,  the  filthy,  depraved  appetites,  p&ssions  and  propensities 
of  fallen  nature,  which  rule,  govern  and  tyrannize  over  the  ra- 
tional powers  and  faculties  of  man,  have  their  existence  in  the 
flesh  or  bodily  part.  Hence  the  highest  end  of  the  unconverted 
sinner,  like  the  brute,  is  to  indulge  and  gratify  his  base  propen- 
sities; and  this  is  what  is  meant  by  '■'-walking  after  the  flesh.'''' 
But  one  of  the  distinguishing  peculiarities  of  the  people  of  God 
is,  that  they  do  not  '•Hoalk  after  the  fleshy'' 

Those  who  are  in  Christ  Jesus  do  not  go  after  strong  drink, 
or  the  gratification  of  a  filthy  appetite  for  spirituous  liquors,  as 
the  swine  goes  after  the  swill  trough.  We  are  told,  '•Hhat  they 
have  crucifled  the  flesh  icith  the  affections  and  histsf  ^Hohether 
■  they  eat  or  drink,  or  ivhatsoever  they  do,  they  do  all  to  the  glory  of 
God.""  '  They  that  are  in  Christ  Jesus,  do  not  indiilge  themselves 
in  filthy  obscence  conversation,  or  impure  thoughts,  woi'ds  or 
actions;  but  their  aim  is,  to  keep  their  bodies  pure,  as  fit  temples 
for  the  Holy  Ghost. 

They  do  not  pursue  the  world  and  the  perishing  things  of 
time,  as  their  portion,  regardless  of  God  and  a  future  state,  like 
the  swine  that  labors  late  and  early,  to  fill  himself  wath  the  acorns 
that  fall  from  the  trees,  without  ever  lifting  his  eyes  towards  the 
God  that  bestows  them.  They  that  are  in  Christ  Jesus  have  set 
their  affections  on  things  above.  Like  the  old  patriarchs,  they 
are  seeking  "a  better  country  ;''^  that  is,  a  heavenly  one ;  and  while 
in  this  world,  they  feel  themselves  as  pilgrims  and  strangers,  in  a 
dreary  wilderness. 

They  that  are  in  Christ  do  not  indulge  themselves  in  anger, 
wrath,  hatred,  revenge,  or  a  disposition  to  bite  and  devour,  like 
the  wolf  or  the  tiger.  No,  they  love  their  enemies;  they  bless 
those  that  curse  them ;  and  they  pray  for  them  that  despitefully 
use  them,  and  persecute  them. 

But  positively,  they  walk  ^^after  the  Spirit.^''  By  the  Spirit 
here,  we  understand  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  third  person  of  the 
ever  blessed  Trinity,  the  richest  boon  God  ever  bestowed  upon 
the  unworthy  sons  and  daughters  of  Adam.  Hence,  says  the 
blessed  Jesus,  "/  will  pray  the  Father,  and  he  rvill  send  you  an- 
other Comforter,  tliat  he  may  abide  with  yoic  forever;  eve7i  the  Spi- 
rit of  Truth,  ivhom  the  world  cannot  receive,  because  it  seeth  him 
not,  neither  knoweth  him.'' 


OF    THE  TRUE    BELIEVER.  99 


Walking  after  the  Spirit  implies  that  the  Spirit  goes  before, 
and  the  soul  that  is  in  Christ,  follows  after;  therefore,  the  idea 
is,  that  the  renewed  soul  is  led  by  the  Spirit ;  -^For  as  many  as 
are  led  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  they  are  the  sods  of  God.''-  Here  an 
important  question  arises,  viz:  what  is  the  path  in  which  the  Spi- 
rif.  leads  those  that  are  in  Christ  Jesus?  I  answer,  it  is  the  nar- 
row way  that  leads  to  eternal  life;  the  path  w^hich  begins  at  the 
strait  gate  of  conversion,  and  encfs  at  the  pearly  gates  of  the 
heavenly  JerusalemJL  Saith  Christ,  '•''Strait  is  the  ghte,  and  nar- 
row is  the  way  that  leadeth  unto  life,  and  few  theix  be  that  find  it" 
It  is  the  way  of  holiness  and  self-denial,  the  sure  way  mentioned 
by  Isaiah:  '-'•And  an  high  loay  shall  be  there,  and  a  zuay,  and  it 
shall  be  called,  the  way  of  holiness;  the  unclean  shall  not  pass 
over  it;  but  it  shall  be  for  those :  the  wayfaring  men,  though  fools, 
shall  not  err  tliereinJ'''  It  is  the  way  that  Abel,  the  first  martyr, 
travelled  home  to  God;  it  is  the  way  that  Enoch  walked  witl^ 
God  three  hundred  years;  the  way  that  Abraliam,  Isaac  and 
Jacob,  together  with  all  the  prophets,  apostles  and  martyrs,  tra- 
velled home  to  the  heavenly  country;  hence  it  is  called,  "the 
GOOD  OLD  WAT."  "T/«^5  saith  the  Lord,  stand  in  the  ways  and 
see;  ask  for  the  good  old  jjaths :  the  good  old  way,  and  walk  there- 
in, and  ye  shall  find  rest  to  your  soicls.'''' 

It  is  the  way  of  deep  humility.  Our  Lord  tells  us,  that  all 
who  travel  this  way  must  humble  themselves,  and  become  as  lit- 
tle children. 

It  is  away  of  close  watching  and  fervent  praying;  dangers 
stand  thick  on  every  side ;  the  lions  and  dragons  of  hell  infest 
every  part  of  it ;  a  subtle  and  malicious  devil,  with  unwearied 
diligence,  is  engaged  day  and  night,  to  accomplish  the  ruin  of 
them  that  travel  there ;  the  w^orld,  M^th  all  its  ensnaring  tempta- 
tions, is  engaged  to  entangle  and  lead  tliem  from  God;  and 
what  is  worse  than  all,  the  remains  of  corruption,  (a  dreadful 
body  of  sin  and  death,)  infests  them;  through  all  these  danger- 
ous enemies  have  the  followers  of  Christ  to  bend  their  course. 
Hence  Jesus  admonishes  all  who  travel  this  way,  to  "watch  and 
PRAY,"  lest  they  enter  into  temptation.  It  is  the  way  of  self- 
denial  and  mortification.  They  that  travel  this  way  must  part 
with  all  for  Christ;  they  must  cut  off  their  right  hand,  and  pluck 
out  their  right  eye;  they  must  part  with  the  love  and  practice  of 
every  sin,  and  boldly  encounter  all  the  oppositions  that  earth 
and  hell,  men  an4~^vils,  can  put  in  their  way.  Hence  says 
Christ,  "7/"  any  man  c&me  after  me,  let  him  deny  himself,  take  up 
his  cross,  and  follow  we." 

It  is  a  way  of  hard,  laborious  exertions,  in  the  use  of  all  the 
means  and  ordinances  God  has  appointed,  and  humble  obedience 
to  all  his  commands.  The  soul  that  travels  this  way  must  spend 
his  life  in  watching  and  praying,  repeitting  and  believing,  doing 


100  THK     EXPERIENCE     AND      PRIVILEGES 

the  will  of  God,  seeking  Christ's  presence,  travelling  by  faith, 
between  his  own  emptiness  and  Christ's  nnwasted  fullness. — 
Hence  the  apostle  exhorts  all  who  travel  this  way,  to  work  out 
their  own  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling;  while^  at  the  same 
time,  it  is  God  that  works  in  them,  both  to  will  and  to  do  of  his 
good  pleasure ;  that  is,  the  person  who  walks  in  this  way,  strives 
and  labors  in  the  use  of  means  with  as  much  diligence,  industry 
and  perseverance,  as  if  he  v^ere  w^orking  for  eternal  life;  and 
when  he  does  all  he  can,  he  views  it  but^  as  dross,  dung,  and 
filthy  rags,  in  point  of  justification  or  acceptance  with  God. — 
He  keeps  the  law  and  obeys  the  commands  of  God,  as  if  he  ex- 
pected eternal  life  as  his  reward;  and  yet  he  views  himself  as 
an  unprofitable  servant;  he  depends  no  more  upon  duty  than 
he  does  upon  sin. 

Here  another  question  arises,  viz:  To  what  does  the  Spirit  of 
God  lead  his  people?     I  answer, 

'  1st.  The  Spirit  leads  them  to  the  true  knowledge  of  God,  of 
Christ,  and  of  the  divine  law.  He  also  shows  them  the  spiritu- 
al beauty,  and  imparts  to  their  souls  the  precious  sweetness  of 
God's  word.  This  Christ  promised  to  his  disciples,  in  the 
gift  of  the  Spirit,  and  told  them  that,  as  a  part  of  his  work, 
"iZe  shall  guide  yofi  into  all  truth'' — '''He  shall  take  of  mine,  and 
show  it  to  ijoiiJ'^  He  sometimes  causes  the  light  of  the  know- 
ledge of  the  glory  of  God,  in  "the  face  of  Christ  Jesus,  to  shine 
into  their  hearts,  and  enables  them  to  see  the  intrinsic  beauty 
and  excellency  of  the  attributes  of  God,  till  their  souls  are  at- 
tracted and  enraptured  with  the  glory  of  the  divine  character. 
He  reveals  to  them  the  beauty  of  Christ  until  their  souls  rejoice, 
with  "jo?/  unspeakable,  and  full  of  gloi-yJ'''  He  sometimes  opens 
their  understandings  (as  in  the  case  of  the  two  disciples  travel- 
ling to  Emaus,)  to  understand  the  Scriptures,  to  see  Christ  in 
his  word  and  promises,  to  see  the  evidences,  exercises  and  ex- 
periences of  God's  people,  as  they  are  laid  down  in  his  holy  word ; 
sometimes  he  leads  them  to  the  top  of  j\Iount  Pisgah,  and  gives 
them  a  faith's  view  of  the  promised  land;  he  gives  them  a  taste 
of  heaven  upon  earth,  and  enables  them  by  faith  to  pluck  the 
sweet  fruits  of  Canaan,  which  grow  upon  the  tree  of  life,  in  the 
midst  of  the  Paradise  of  God. 

2d.  The  Spirit  leads  the  people  of  God  into  the  valley  of  hu- 
mility; where  in  both  the  glass  of  the  law  and  in  that  of  the 
gospel,  by  the  light  of  God's  holiness,  he  shows  them  their  vile- 
ness  and  polluted  loathsomeness;  he  discovers  to  them  their  se- 
cret dens  of  sin,  their  accursed  things,  their  horrid  backslidings 
and  base  ingratitude ;  and  when  they  compare  these  soul  morti- 
fying views  with  their  former  joys  and  comforts,  they  are  often 
filled  with  gloomy  fears,  and  feel  an  aching  void,  which  none  but 
Christ  can  fill.     Now  tliey  adopt  the  language  of  Job,  "O  that 


OF    THE    TRUE    BELIEVER.  _  101 

it  were  with  me  as  in  months  past^  when  the  candle  of  the  Lord 
shined  upon  my  tabernacle.  0  that  I  knew  where  I  would  jind 
him.'''' 

3d.  The  Holy  Spirit  often  leads  his  people  into  the  furnace 
of  affliction.     Sometimes  the  angry  powers  of  hell  are  let  loose 
upon  them,  and  for  a  time,  they  fall  a  prey  to  the  rage  and  ma- 
lice of  devils  and  wicked  men :  Again,  he  suffers  their  sweetest 
earthly  comforts  to  be  snatched  from  them;  often  they  are  en- 
circled by  losses  and  bitter  afflictions,  until,  like  Jacob,  they  think 
all  these  things  are  against  them.     But,  however  bitter  the  cup 
may  be  to  the  taste,  and  however  gloomy  these  dispensations 
may  appear,  still  God's  eternal  purposes  of  love  and  mercj'  are 
going  exactly  straight;    though  he  leads  them  in  a  way  they 
know  not,  yet  he  takes  this  method  to  brighten  the  vessels  of 
mercy,  preparing  for  glory,  so  that  they  will  soon  be  fitted  to 
furnish  out  their  Father's  house,  in  the  heavenly  Canaan;  and 
even  in  the  midst  of  their  sorest  afflictions,  some  of  the  leaves 
of  the  tree  of  life,  which  grows  in  the  midst  of  the  Paradise  of 
God,  and  are  for  the  healing  of  the  nations,  are  thrown-  into 
the  bitter  waters  of  Marah;  and  then  they  taste  as  sweet  as  the 
milk  and  honey  of  Canaan.     Shadrach,  Meshech  and  Abedne- 
go  in  the  fiery  furnace — Daniel  in  the  lion  den — Paul  and  Silas 
in  the  dungeon — John  in  the  Isle  of  Patmos — and  thousands 
more,  could  tell  you  what  a  heaven  upon  earth  affliction  is, 
when  the  soul  feels  the  love  of  Christ,  his  smiles  and  life-giving 
presence. 

4th.  The  Holy  Spirit  leads  the  childr^  of  God  into  the  ex- 
ercise of  deep  repentance  and  contrition.  Occasionally  he  gives 
them  a  faith's  view  of  a  crucified  Christ;  and  when  the  Divine 
Spirit  discovers  to  them  the  pardoning  love  of  God,  through  the 
painful  agonies  and  bloody  sufferings  of  a  crucified  Jesus;  and 
shows  sin  in  its  filthy,  loathsome  and  abominable  nature ;  all  this 
breaks  and  melts  their  hearts  into  penitential  sorrow;  they  weep 
and  mourn,  and  sink  into  the  dust  before  God;  they  loathe  and 
hate  themselves;  and, like  Job,  they  repent  and  abhor  themselves 
in  dust  and  ashes,  w^hile  they  are  filled  with  wonder  that  such 
polluted  worms  should  ever  find  mercy;  and  each  views  himself 
as  the  chief  debtor  to  free  grace,  and  the  greatest  wonder  of 
redeeming  love.  • 

5th.  The  Holy  Spirit  leads  his  people  into  the  exercise  of 
spiritual  prayer.  They  daily  carry  to  the  throne  of  grace,  the 
state  of  their  own  wretched  backsliding  hearts,  that  of  their 
Christless  children,  friends  and  neighbors,  and  the  afflictions 
and  distresses  of  the  church  of  God.  The  Spirit  often  leads 
them  to  be  restless  and  importunate,  like  the  widow  wlio  came 
to  the  unjust  judge;  to  hold  fast  by  the  promises  of  God,  and 
take  no  denial;  like  Moses,  to  turn  every  repulse  into  an  argu- 


102  THE    EXPERIEN'CK    AND     PRIVILEGES 

ment;  and  in  this  sweet  employment,  tliey  often  experience  ma- 
ny blessed  answers  of  prayer,  and  many  precious  love-tokens 
from  Christ. 

6th.  The  Spirit  leads  the  people  of  God  to  a  holy  contempt  of 
the  honors,  profits  and  pleasm'es  of  this  fading  world;  he  leads 
them  to  feel  a  heavenly  content  in  whatever  lot  the  eternal  God 
has  placed  them;  to  a  blessed  covenant,  sweetness  in  every 
earthly  comfort;  to  view  every  drop  of  water  and  every  mor- 
sel of  brea.d  as  the  purchase  of  the  dying  agonies  of  Christ. — 
He  leads  them  to  a  daily  warfare  with  in-dwelling  sin;  like 
faithful  soldiers,  to  fight  with  principalities  and  powers;  and 
thus  he  leads  them  on  to  final  victory,  and  makes  them  mcfre 
than  conquerors  through  the  blood  of  the  Lamb. 

He  leads  them  through  the  dark  valley  and  shadow  of  death, 
and  he  often  causes  them  to  sing  the  song  of  triumph,  in  the  midst 
of  the  swellings  of  Jordan.  When  he  lets  the  light  of  his  glory 
shine  upon  their  souls,  their  dying  is  swe^t.  Death  is  only  go- 
ing home,  a  pleasant  passage  from  a  dreary  wilderness  to  a  celes- 
tial Paradise;  from  a  noisome  dungeon  to  an  eternal,  never-fad- 
ing crown:  to  an  inheritance  ^'incorruptible,  tindeJUed,  ajid  that 
fadeth  not  au-ay."  But  as  they  walk  after  the  Spirit,  so  he  leads 
them,  at  last,  to  their  Father's  house,  the  place  to  which  Jesus 
went  nearly  eighteen  hundred  years  ago,  to  prepare  a  place  for 
them.  He  brings  them  to  the  full  possession  of  that  kingdom 
which  was  prepared  for  them '•y/-ow?  the  foundation  of  the  world,'' 
where  they  shall  wear  eternal,  never  fading  crowns;  where 
through  all  eternity  tl^ey  shall  walk  the  pavements  of  the  new 
Jerusalem,  in  the  immediate  vision  and  full  fruition  of  God  the 
Father.  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost. 

III.  Mention  some  of  the  consequences  attending  those  who 
walk  after  the  Spirit. 

1st.  Their  situation  is  happy  beyond  expression:  for  they  are 
in  the  strong  hold :  their  dAvelling  is  the  munition  of  rocks.  As 
the  apostle  says,  "God  is  for  them,  and  who  can  be  against  them  .*"' 
x\ll  the  adorable  persons  of  the  Godliead  are  on  their  side. — 
Christ,  in  his  two  natures,  and  all  his  mediatorial  offices,  with  all 
his  merits,  righteousness  and  atonement  is  engaged  in  their  be- 
half. All  the  attributes  of  God:  all  the  promises  of  the  eternal 
Court  of  Heaven;  all  the  wise,  unsearchable  providences  of 
God.  and  all  the  operations  of  the  Hol\'  Spirit,  are  engaged  for 
their  complete  salvation  and  glorification. 

2d.  They  are  advanced  to  the  highest  possible  dignit}'.  They 
are  sons  of  God;  and  as  they  are  sons,  they  are  heirs.  ^'Af/V^  of 
God.  and  joiiU  heirs  with  Christ.'''  What  is  their  inheritance?  All 
things;  '"'all  thinss  are  yours,  for  ye  are  Christ's,  and  Christ  is 
God\^.''  ^  ,       ' 


OF  THK  TRUi:  BELIEVKR.  103 

3d.  They  are  safe;  for  they  are^in  the  glorious  hiding  place. 
The  second  Adam  can  never  tall.     As  the  head  stands  eternally, 
the  members  can  never  be  separated  from  his  body.     Satan  can 
never  drag  his  spouse  from  his  arms.     The  truth  of  God   is 
pledged  for  their  salvation:  *'My  sheep  hear  my  voice,  and  I  know 
them,  and  they  follow  me,  and  I  give  them  eternal  life,  and  no  one 
is  able  to  pluck  them  out  of  my  hands.''      Christ  has  prayed  for. 
their  complete, eternal  glorification:  ^'Father,  I  will  that  they  also 
whom  thou  hast  given  ?ne,  be  with  me  where  I  am,  that  they  may 
behold  my  glory.'''     And  he  tells  us,  that  liis  Father  always  hears 
him  when  he  prays;  and  if  the  Father  heard  that  prayer,  then 
he  may  say  with  the  apostle,  '•/  am  persuaded  that  neither  death, 
nor  life,  nor  angels,  nor  principalities,  nor  powers,  nor  things  pre- 
sent, nor  things  to  come,  nor  height,  nor  depth,  nor  any  other  crea- 
ture, shall  be  able  to  separate  ns  from  the  love  of  God,  which  is  in 
Christ  Jesus.'^     They  that  are  led  by  the  Spirit,  can  rejoice  in 
tribulation.     They  taste  a  sweetness  in  affliction,  of  which  the 
world  is  ignorant.     Faith  in  Christ  can  pull  down  the  branches 
of  the  tree  of  life  into  the  bitter  waters  of  Marah,  and  turn  them 
into  the  sweetness  of  heaven;  and,  like  Sampson,  it  can  suck  ho- 
ney out  of  the  carcase  of  the  lion.    When  faith  views  Christ  on 
his  mediatorial  throne,  and  all  things  in  heaven  and  earth  com- 
mitted to  him,  its  language  nlways  is,  ''Lord,  thy  will  be  done.'''' 
It  changes  a  dungeon  into  a  palace,  and  a  bed  of  affliction  into 
a  Paradise.    It  views  the  sorest  trials  as  the  purchase  of  Christ, 
and  the  very  means  by  which  eternal  and  unerring  wisdom  pre- 
pares the  soul  for  that  blessed  country,  the  inhabitants  of  which 
no  more  say,  '•'I  am  sick,"  for  there  is  neither  death,  nor  sorrow, 
nor  crying  there. 

Death  is  sweet,  and  evei>  delightful,  to  those  who  walk  after 
the  Spirit;  for  Christ,  by  dying,  conquered  death;  he  deprived 
it  of  its  sting  and  curse,  and  he  sweetened  the  grave  for  all  his 
followers. 


SERMON    X  . 


NO  ROOM  FOR  CHRIST  IN  THE  HEARTS  OF  SINNERS, 


Because  there  was  no  room  for  them  in  the  Inn. — Luke  ii.  7. 


The  Son  of  God  came  to  our  world  upon  a  message  of  mer- 
CV5  to  seek  and  to  save  them  that  were  lost;  to  redeem  smners 
from  under  the  heavy  yoke  of  the  devil,  and  reconcile  them  to 
their  offended  Lord.  But,  although  his  mission  vv-as  so  kind  and 
benevolent,,yet  was  the  treatment  he  received,  upon  his  appear-- 
ance  in.the  flesh,  extremely  shameful  and  degrading.  His  recep- 
tion was  indeed  humiliating.  Although  he  was  the  eternal  Son  of 
God,  the  first  night  he  tarried  in  our  world,  there  was  no  room 
for  him  in  the  Inn.  He  had  no  better  accommodations  than  a 
stable  for  his  shelter,  and  a  manger  for  his  bed.  And  at  the  pre- 
sent day,  his  reception  is  similar.  There  is  no  room  for  Christ 
in  the  Inn.  There  is  room  for  profane  oaths,  imprecations  and 
hellish  blasphemies;  there  is  room  for  balls,  rioting  and  dancing; 
for  cards  and  dice;  for  drunkenness  and  every  species  of  dissi- 
pation: but  none  for  Christ.  His  name  and  religion  are  rarely 
mentioned,  but  to  be  blasphemed  or  ridiculed. 

An  Inn  is  a  place  of  accommodation  for  strangers  and  travel- 
lers; and,  in  a  certain  sense,  every  man's  house  may  be  called  an 
Inn.  For  there  every  worthy  and  respectable  character,  every 
beloved  friend,  meets  with  a  kind  reception  and  hospitable  treat- 
ment. Again,  the  heart  may  be  said  to  be  a  house  of  entertain- 
ment, in  a  certain  sense.  It  is  in  the  heart  and  affections  par- 
ticularly, that  your  friend  is  entertained;  for,  give  him  evidence 
that  he  no  longer  possesses  your  confidence,  and  all  the  dainties 
of  the  table  become  insipid.  For  your  table  and  lodging  room 
are  only  signs  of  your  friendship;  and,  according  to  this  view 
of  the  subject,  it  may  be  said  of  all  the  inhabitants  of  this  world, 
there  is  no  room  for  Christ  in  the  Inn. 


NO     ROOM     FOR    CHRIST,    &C.  105 

In  discoursing  upon  this  subject,  we  shall 

I.  Describe  this  heavenly  stranger,  for  whom  there  is  no  room 
in  the  Inn. 

II.  Speak  of  those  horrid  guests  that  occupy  the  houses  and 
hearts  of  the  children  of  men.  *    • 

III.  Say  something  of  the  consequences  of  rejecting  Christ 
and  shutting  him  out  of  the  heart.  .         •  ' 

I.  Describe  this  heavenly  stranger. 

He  is  the  most  illustrious,  glorious  and  dignified  personage  that 
ever  heaven  or  earth  beheld.  The  Son  of  God — the  brightness 
of  his  Father's  glory — and  the  express  image  of  his  person — 
possessed  of  all  the  attributes  and  perfections  of  the  Godhead. 
He  is  the  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords,  who  sways  the  scep- 
tre of  the  universe,  and  administers  justice  throughout  heaven, 
earth  and  hell. 

He  is  the  woman's  promised  seed  that  bruised  the  serpent's 
head,  made  of  the  seed  of  Abraham,  according  to  the  flesh,  yet 
Abraham's  God,  existing  eternally  before  he  had  a  being — the 
root  and  offspring  of  David — his  son,  and  yet  his  Creator  and 
Lord.  He  is  the  Son  born,  and  the  child  given,  prophesied  of 
by  Isaiah,  whose  name  should  be  called  "  Wonderful  Counsellor^ 
the  Mighty  God^  the  Everlasting  Father,  and  the  Prince  of 
Peace.''''  It  is  he  whom  Isaiah  saw  sitting  on  his  throne,  high 
and  lifted  up,  his  train  filling  the  temple,  and  the  winged  cheru- 
bims  celebrating  his  praise,  crying  one  to  another,  "HoZy,  holy, 
holy,  is  the  Lord  God  of  Hosts;  the  whole  earth  is  full  of  his  glo- 
ry.''' He  is  the  essential  wisdom  of  God.  He  beholds  all  things 
from  everlasting  to  everlasting,  from  the  heights  of  heaven  to 
the  lowest  depths  of  hell,  at  one  view.  He  planned  the  order 
of  the  universe,  and  formed  the  established  laws  of  nature,  by 
which  night  and  day,  heat  and  cold,  summer  and  winter,  seed- 
time and  harvest,  observe  his  fixed  commands.  By  his  direc- 
tion the  planets  move  in  perfect  harmony,  and  all  the  systems 
of  worlds  preserve  the  utmost  order.  It  is  he  whom  Jehovah 
terms  his  "elect,  whom  he  hath  chostn,  his  well  beloved  Son,  in 
whom  his  soul  delighteth.''''  It  is  he  who  was  chosen  in  the  Eter- 
nal Councils  of  the  Godhead  to  accomplish  the  redemption  of 
poor,  lost  sinners  of  Adam's  race. 

He  is  the  most  amiable,  excellent,  and  respectable  character 
that  God,  angels  or  men,  ever  saw.  View  him  in  his  divine  na- 
ture as  God,  and  he  is  Jehovah,  the  infinite,  eternal,  unchange- 
able and  independent  sovereign  of  the  universe — the  uncreated 
I  am;  being  itself  pure,  underived  existence.  View  him  as  man, 
in  his  human  nature,  he  is  spotless  and  innocent,  holy,  harmless, 
undefiled,  and  separate  from  sinners.  View  him  as  Immanuel, 
God  with  us,  and  how  glorious  is  his  beauty !  how  excellent  his 
perfections!     He  is  fairer  than  the  sons  of  men,  the  chiefest  of 

16 


106  NO    ROOM    FOR    CHRIST 

• 

ten  thousand,  and  altogether  lovely.  In  him  meet  and  harmenize 
all  the  attributes  of  the  Godhead.  Mercy  and  truth  meet  to- 
gether, and  righteousness  and  peace  kiss  each  other.  Strict  jus- 
tice and  unparalleled  love  unite  in  him,  and  agree  with  each  oth- 
er in  the  pardon-,  solvation  and  eternal  blessedness  of  repenting 
sinners.  One  view^  of  his  lovely  face,  communicates  to  the  soul 
of  the  penitent  g.  heaven  upon  earth,  joy  that  is  unspeakable  and 
full  of  glory,  a  blissful  satisfaction  far  superior  to  all  that  crowns 
and  thrones,  wealth  and  treasures  can  bestow.  This,  my  friends, 
is  the  heavenly  stranger  who  left  the  highest  glories,  and  came 
down  into  our  base  and  ungrateful  world,  upon  the  most  bene- 
volent of  missions,  and  who  now  courts  and  pleads  for  a  lodg- 
ing in  the  hearts  of  poor,  lost  sinners.  But  to  describe  fully  this 
dignified  character,  is  a  task  beyond  the^power  of  mortal  tongue ! 

Join  all  the  names  of  love  and  pow'r 
That  ever  men  or  angels  bore ; 
All  are  too  mean  to  speak  his  worth, 
Or  set  Immanuel's  glory  forth." 

But  why  did  this  glorious  personage  appear  in  our  world? — 
What  was  his  design?  The  prophet  Isaiah  tells  us,  he  came  '•Ho 
preach  glad  tidings  to  the  meek,  to  bind  up  the  broken  hearted,  to 
proclaim  liberty  to  the  captives,  and  the  opening  of  the  prison  to 
them  that  are  bound.''''  He  came  "to  seek  and  save  that  which 
was  lost.''''  And,  says  the  apostle  Paul,  ^'This  is  a  faithful  say- 
ing, and  worthy  of  all  acceptation,  that  Christ  Jesus  came  into  the 
world  to  save  sinners,^''  even  the  chief  of  sinners. 

He  came  to  destroy  the  works  of  the  devil.  He  came  to  save 
his  people  from  sin  and  all  its  dreadful  consequences.  He  took 
upon  him  our  nature,  to  deliver  them  who  have  been  all  their 
life  time  subject  to  bondage,  from  death.  He  came  to  save  sin- 
ners from  hell,  and  raise  them  to  glory  and  everlasting  bless- 
edness. 

And  now  let  me  ask  the  question  which  Pilate  once  proposed 
to  his  bloody  persecutors:  '-^What  evil  hath  he  rfowe,"  that  you 
should  treat  him  with  such  contempt  and  inattention ;  that  you 
should  reject  and  despise  him,  and  exclude  him  from  your  houses, 
your  families  and  hearts? 

II.  Speak  of  the  guests  that  occupy  the  houses  and  hearts  of 
the  children  of  men. 

From  the  loveliness  and  beauty  of  the  character  of  Jesus 
Christ,  it  might  be  supposed  that  all  men  would  be  anxious  to 
entertain  him  in  their  families,  and  give  him  the  highest  place  in 
their  affections.  But  it  is  not  so.  In  the  courts  of  kings  and 
palaces  of  the  great,  there  is  no  room  for  Christ.  But  few  of 
the  middle  classes  can  afford  room  for  Christ.  An  excessive 
thirst  for  riches,  worldly  cares,  trades  and  speculations,  vice  and 
wickedness,  fill  their  whole  hearts. 


IN    THE    HEARTS    OF   SINNERS.  107 

And  in  very  few  of  the  little  cabins  and  cottages  of  the'door 
is  Christ  entertained.  Shameful  ignorance  and  horrid  inatten- 
tion to  God  and  religion,  ten  thousand  low  vices  have  taken 
complete  possession  of  their  souls. 

In  the  hearts  of  the  old  there  is  no  room  for  Christ.  Excess- 
ive worldly  cares,  strong  prejudices  against  Christ,  and  experi- 
mental, heartfelt  religion,  deep  rooted  habits  of  vice,  fill  every 
corner  of  their  hearts.  Nor  is  Christ  much  more  likely  to  find 
a  place  in  the  hearts  of  the  middle  aged;  for  they,  too,  are  en- 
grossed with  the  cares  of  this  world — plans  and  projects  for 
gaining  wealth,  anxiety  of  mind  about  their  property,  and  such 
things. 

Young  sinners  have  no  room  in  their  hearts  for  Christ  and  his 
salvation.  They  are  full  of  vanity  and  foolishness — sporting, 
laughing,  giddy  conversation,  merry  meetings,  frolics  and 
dancing. 

And  all  classes  of  men  seem  to  have  agreed  to  entertain  any 
and  every  thing  which  will  keep  them  from  God  and  holiness. 

1st.  The  fashions  and  customs  of  the  world  are  guests  which 
must  be  attended  to.  These  occupy  the  whole  time  and  atten- 
tion of  multitudes;  and,  in  attending  to  these,  they  are  kept  so 
busy,  that  they  have  no  time  or  disposition  to  attend  to  the 
preaching  of  the  word.  The  world  is  in  all  their  thoughts  by 
day  and  night.  All  their  conversation  is  of  corn  and  tobacco, 
of  land  and  stock.  The  price  of  merchandise  and  negroes  are 
inexhaustible  themes  of  conversation.  But  for  them  the  name 
of  Jesus  has  no  charms;  and  it  is  rarely  mentioned,  unless  to  be 
profaned.  Introduce  a  conversation  of  heaven  and  divine 
things,  speak  of  the  glories  of  Immanuel,  the  beauty  of  the  di- 
vine attributes,  the  spirituality  of  God's  word,  the  sufferings  of 
Jesus,  and  the  sweetness  of  the  pardoning  love  of  God — and 
they  are  dumb.  Conversations  upon  these  subjects  are  uninte- 
resting— they  are  intolerable.  And  it  is  evident  that  they  have 
no  room  for  Christ  in  their  hearts;  but  only  speak  of  the  world, 
of  its  fashions  and  customs — the  subject  is  grasped  with  eager- 
ness, the  tongue  is  loosed  to  speak  volumes  upon  a  trifle.  And, 
my  friends,  does  not  mankind,  in  the  general,  live  and  act  as  if 
they  neither  wished  nor  desired  any  other  portion;  as  if  they 
did  not  believe  one  syllable  of  the  Bible;  as  if  there  was  no  hell 
to  shun,  no  heaven  to  obtain.  What  an  awful  demonstration  of 
the  truth  that  there  are  but  few  saved. 

2d.  Pride  and  selfishness  are  two  favorite  guests,  and  operate 
to  the  exclusion  of  Christ  from  the  heart.  Sinners  often  think 
it  too  humbling  and  too  degrading  to  become  the  followers  of  the 
meek  and  lowly  Jesus.  To  own  Christ  publicly  before  the 
world,  many  would  esteem  it  an  indelible  disgrace.  To  forfeit 
their  respectability  for  contumely  and  reproach,  to  be  consider- 


108  NO    ROOM    FOR    CHRIST 

ed  men  of  weak  minds,  to  be  separated  from  the  fashionable  vices 
of  the  world,  appear  too  mean  and  contemptible.  Christ  cannot 
be  admitted  upon  such  terms.  To  be  popular,  they  must  conform 
to  all  the  fashions  and  polite  amusements  of  this  world.  They 
must  act  as  if  they  had  never  had  a  serious  thought  of  death, 
judgment,  or  eternity;  of  God,  Christ,  or  his  holy  religion. 

3d.  There  is  an  army  of  vain  thoughts  lodged  in  the  heart  of 
every  unregenerate  sinner.  With  such  guests  as  these,  Christ 
cannot  be  accommodated. 

The  human  mind  possesses  active  powers  and  principles,  and 
is  constantly  employed  thinking  of,  and  contemplating  the  ob- 
jects that  are  most  pleasing  and  desirable.  Therefore,  says  our 
Lord,  ^'•where  the  treasure  is,  there  will  the  heart  be  also."  There- 
fore, as  the  sinner's  mind  is  blind  and  ignorant  of  spiritual  things, 
his  thoughts  must  be  such  as  the  God  of  truth  declares  them  to 
be:  ^^ Every  imagination  of  the  thoughts  of  his  heart  are  only  evil, 
and  that  continually."  The  minds  of  some  are  taken  up  by  poli- 
tics; and  others  think  so  much  of  their  farms,  their  stock  or 
merchandise,  that  they  have  no  room  for  Christ.  Again,  some 
are  wholly  employed  in  reflections  upon  trifling,  obscene,  and 
filthy  subjects;  upon  vanity,  folly  and  nonsense.  And  these 
guests  are  esteemed  more  worthy  than  the  Redeemer  of  Man- 
kind! 

4th.  A  large  number  of  flesh  pleasing  idols  are  worshipped 
by  many  sinners,  to  the  exclusion  of  Christ.  Do  you  ask.  What 
is  an  idol?  I  answer:  Any  thing,  be  it  what  it  may,  that  we 
love  more  than  we  love  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Thus  the  world, 
money  and  property,  are  often  idols;  fine  clothing  and  beautiful 
ornaments,  because  they  are  more  highly  esteemed  than  God. — 
A  husband  or  wife  is  an  idol,  if  you  choose  rather  to  go  with 
such  an  one  to  hell  than  to  deny  yourself,  take  up  your  cross  and 
follow  Jesus.  Filthy  appetites  and  propensities,  beloved  sins 
that  are  as  hard  to  part  with  as  a  right  eye  or  a  right  hand;  the 
BOTTLE,  or  a  fondness  for  strong  drink  is  an  idol,  which  excludes 
Christ  from  the  hearts  of  thousands  and  millions.  The  bottle 
may,  with  propriety,  be  termed  the  drunkard's  Christ.  For,  as 
the  true  Christian  forsakes  all  for  Christ,  so  the  drunkard  leaves 
all  things  for  the  bottle.  He  parts  with  his  reputation,  his  mo- 
ney, his  property,  with  the  welfare  and  respectability  of  his  off"- 
spring,for  his  bottle;  he  parts  with  the  peace  and  happiness  of 
his  family;  he  parts  with  reason  and  with  health  for  the  bottle. 
He  parts  with  his  sout,  with  his  God,  with  Christ  and  eternal 
blessedness,  for  his  bottle. 

5th.  A  great  many  little,  innocent  no-harm  sins,  as  they  are 
called,  fill  the  heart,  and  bar  Christ  out  of  it.  But  to  mention 
all  these  little,  beloved,  darling,  soul-damning  sins,  would  be 
impossible.     Let  sorne  few  of  them  suffice.     Now,  whatever 


IN    THE    HEARTS    OF    SINNERS.  109 

sin  is  indulged,  is  thought,  by  him  who  indulges  it,  to  be  no 
harm. 

The  gentleman  drunkard  takes  a  hearty  drink  at  the  tavern, 
and  sees  nothing  improper  in  doing  so,  because  he  does  not  lie 
like  a  beast  in  the  streets. 

The  swinish  drunkard  is  beastly  drunk  on  an  occasion,  but  he 
sees  no  harm  in  such  conduct.     He  injures  no  man. 

The  man  who  cheats  his  neighbor,  justifies  himself  by  saying, 
he  would  have  cheated  me  if  in  his  power;  and  it  is  every  man 
for  himself  now-a-days.  And  so  the  general  sentiment  of  the 
world  goes.  Sabbath  breaking,  cursing,  balls,  parties,  horse- 
racing,  gambling,  are  all  no  harm;  and  it  is  now  obvious  that 
thousands  of  hearts  are  barred,  by  such  sins,  against  Jesus 
Christ. 

6th.  A  sixth  class  of  those  horrid  guests  which  fill  the  heart, 
are  such  as  anger,  malice  and  revenge,  a  bitter,  rancorous,  un- 
forgiving temper. 

Says  the  sinner,  I  cursed  and  swore  profanely;  but  it  was  no 
wonder;  I  was  insulted  and  provoked  beyond  measure.  I  was 
so  ill  treated,  that  I  got  into  a  tremendous  rage;  but  it  was  no 
wonder;  I  took  full  satisfaction;  I  wont  be  run  over;  the  best 
man  would  have  done  just  as  I  did;  I  can  forgiven©  such  man; 
I  will  not  be  reconciled  to  him;  I  have  been  so  badly  treated, 
that  I  cannot  get  over  it. 

7th.  There  is  an  host  of  vain,  trifling  amusements,  such  as 
balls,  parties,  merry  meetings,  vain  songs,  frothy,  unprofitable 
discourse,  Sunday  visits  and  diversions.  Such  as  these  fill  the 
whole  soul,  and  leave  no  room  for  holy  things,  for  Godly  conver- 
sations, or  for  Jesus  Christ. 

With  such  guests  as  we  have  here  spoken  of,  and  a  Ifiousand 
others,  which  cannot  now  be  enumerated,  all  mankind  are  filled 
by  nature.  With  such  sins,  such  propensities  and  dispositions 
as  these,  the  hearts  and  houses  of  much  the  greater  part  of  the 
present  generation  are  filled;  and,  consequently,  there  is  no 
room  for  Christ.  He  is  rejected  and  despised,  as  though  he 
were  beneath  the  notice  and  attention  of  the  world. 

But,  as  the  human  heart  is  filled  as  a  crowded  inn  or  tavern, 
wherein  there  is  no  place  for  Christ,  so  also  it  is  strongly  barred 
to  prevent  his  admittance. 

We  will  mention  some  of  the  bolts  which  are  employed  to 
keep  out  the  Saviour. 

1st.  Spiritual  blindness,  gross  darkness  and  ignorance  of  God, 
Christ  and  all  heavenly  things.  Says  Paul,  "/f  our  gospel  be  hid, 
it  is  hid  to  them  that  are  lost,  in  ivhom  the  God  of  this  world  hath 
blinded  the  minds  of  thern  which  believe  not,  lest  the  light  of  the  glo- 
rious gospel  of  Christ,  who  is  the  image  of  God,  should  shine  unto 
them  .■  ■ 


£m 


110  NO    ROOM    FOR    CHRIST 

2d.  Unbelief  is  an  entire  disbelief,  a  stupid  inattention  to  the 
promises  and  threatenings  of  God;  and  all  the  important  reali- 
ties exhil^ited  in  his  word. 

3d.  Hardness  of  heart,  which  is  the  natural  consequence  of 
spiritual  blindness  and  unbelief.  The  sinner,  as  he  is  blind  to 
danger,  and  disbelieves  all  God's  word,  his  heart  is  thought  proof 
against  all  the  terrors  of  Jehovah,  and  the  alluring  invitations 
of  the  gospel. 

4th.  Strong  prejudices  against  the  Lord's  way  of  saving  sin- 
ners. Re  generation,  conversion,  heartfelt  religion,  feeling  the 
love  of  God  shed  abroad  in  the  heart,  are  doctrines  which  can- 
not be  endured;  to  receive  these  things  is  called  delusion,  enthu- 
siasm, or  the  effects  of  a  weak  mind.  The  world  chooses  ra- 
ther to  live  in  sin,  and  go  to  hell,  than  to  be  saved  in  such  a 
way. 

5th.  Old  habits  of  sin,  deep-rooted  propensities,  are  strong 
barriers  against  Christ  and  the  exertions  of  his  word  and  Spirit. 
Nothing  but  the  power  of  an  Almighty  God  can  remove  them; 
and  hence  it  is  a  miracle,  indeed,  for  an  old  sinner  to  be  convert- 
ed. "CaTi  the  Ethiopian  change  his  skin,  or  the  leopard  his  spots? 
Then  may  ye  also  do  good  that  are  accustomed  to  do  evil.'''' 

6th.  Self-righteousness.  This  closes  and  bars  the  heart  of 
every  sinner  against  Christ;  and,  what  is  wonderful  indeed,  not 
only  the  strict,  sober  formalist,  and  the  upright  moralist,  deceive 
themselves  and  go  to  hell,  trusting  to  their  own  righteousness, 
but  even  the  most  swinish  drunkard,  the  most  heaven  daring 
blasphemer,  expects  to  be  saved  in  the  same  way.  Their  good 
hearts,  their  benevolent  actions,  and  some  amiable  conduct, 
will  overbalance  all  their  wickedness,  and  purchase  heaven  at 
last.      •♦ 

III.  Say  something  of  the  consequences  of  rejecting  Christ, 
and  shutting  him  out  of  the  heart. 

Christ  is  frequently  represented  in  Scripture  as  calling  to  sin- 
ners, stretching  out  his  hands  and  weeping  over  them,  coming 
as  a  suppliant  to  their  doors,  praying,  pleading  and  beseeching 
them,  reasoning  and  expostulating  with  them.  He  is  represent- 
ed as  being  grieved  for  the  hardness  of  their  hearts,  complain- 
ing of  their  ingratitude,  unwilling  to  give  them  up  to  destruc- 
tion. He  is  represented  as  pleading  with  his  Father  to  spare 
them ;  as  holding  back  the  sword  of  divine  justice,  praying  that 
God  would  try  them  one  year  longer.  He  is  represented  as 
knocking  at  their  hearts  for  admittance :  '•^Behold  I  stand  at  the 
door  and  knock;  if  any  man  hear  my  voice,  and  loill  open  the 
door,  I  will  come  in  to  him,  and  sup  with  him,  and  he  with  me." 

Christ  stands  at  the  door  and  knocks — which  may  teach  us, 
that,  unless  the  door  is  soon  opened,  he  will  withdraw.  When 
a  person  of  respectability  taps  at  a  door,  and  taps  frequently, 


IN    THE    HEARTS    OF    SINNERS.  Ill 

and  it  is  not  opened,  he  will  possibly  be  affronted  and  go  away 
displeased;  he  will  conceive  himself  insulted,  and  will  never 
return.  *    ♦ 

And  such  will  be  the  consequence,  sinners,  if,^fter  Christ  has 
frequently  called  and  invited  you  by  his  providences,  his  Spirit, 
conscience,  and  the  preaching  of  the  word,  you  resist  and  refuse 
hir^  admittance  into  your  hearts.  He  will  depart,  to  return  no 
more.  Then  will  be  accomplished  upon  you  that  awful  decla- 
ration of  the  God  of  Truth:  '■'•My  Spirit  shall  not  always  strive 
with  martP'' — ''Zei  him  alone''' — "jHe  that  is  unjust,,  let  him  be  un- 
just still:  and  he  which  isjllthy,  let  him  he  filthy  stilV^  Then 
the  sinner  is  just  as  sure  of  damnation,  as  if  he  were  in  hell. — 
Afterwards  he  may  live  many  years  in  peace  and  plenty,  may 
sit  under  the  most  powerful  awakening  preaching  of  the  gospel; 
but  all  the  effect  it  will  have,  will  be  to  harden  his  heart,  and 
sear  his  conscience,  and  ripen  him  for  a  more  aggravated  dam- 
;iation. 

The  same  fire  that  melts  and  dissolves  wax,  will  dry  and 
harden  clay.  The  rain  and  sun,  which  enlivens  all  nature, 
causes  a  green  tree  to  grow  and  flourish,  will  consume  and 
waste  away  a  dead  tree.  The  same  gospel  that  is  the  wisdom 
of  God  and  the  power  of  God  to  the  salvation  of  all  them  that 
believe,  which  prepares  the  people  of  God  as  vessels  of  mercy 
for  immortal  glory  and  blessedness  in  the  heavenly  state,  \v'\\\ 
prove  a  Saviour  of  death  unto  death  to  the  finally  impenitent, 
and  be  the  means  of  hardening  them  and  fitting  them  for  hell. 
Another  consequence  of  rejecting  the  calls  and  entreaties  of 
Christ,  and  thrusting  him  from  the  heart,  while  the  devil,  the 
world,  and  sin,  are  cherished  in  full  possession,  is,  that  the  heart 
will  be  hardened.  The  sinner  wears  out  his  day  of  grace;  the 
things  that  belong  to  his  peace  are  forever  hidden  from  his  eyes; 
and,  with  rapacitv,  he  fills  up  the  measure  of  his  iniquity,  and 
fits  himself  a  vessel  of  wrath  for  destruction.  The  sure  and 
final  consequence  of  thus  dealing  with  Christ,  neglecting  his 
calls  and  shutting  the  heart  against  him,  will  be  certain  ruin  and 
hopeless  misery.  Sinners,  in  this  world,  are  sometimes  visited 
by  tremendous  judgments,  which  are  only  the  beginning  of  sor- 
rows— only  a  pre-libation  of  fiercer  pains  and  keener  torments 
which  they  shall  endure  in  hell. 

We  might  here  introduce  the  instance  of  the  antedeluvians, 
who  slighted  and  treated  with  contempt  the  warnings  of  Noah, 
until  their  day  of  grace  was  past,  and  the  flood  came  and  de- 
stroyed them;  and  the  example  of  the  Sodomites,  who  treated 
with  scorn,  Lot's  admonitions,  until,  in  a  moment  when  they 
imagined  all  was  safe,  the  storm  of  fire  and  brimstone  came  upon 
them  and  consumed  them.  We  might  tell  you  of  the  fearful 
end  of  Pharaoh,  of  Korah,  Dathan  and  Abiram,  of  Herod  and 


112  NO    ROOM    FOR  CHRIST,  &,C. 

Antiochus  Epiphanes,  and  other  impenitent  sinners,  that  were 
made  dreadful  monuments  of  divine  wrath  in  this  world.  But 
wjR  will  pass  to  the  unbelieving  Jews,  who  rejected  the  promised 
Messiah — shut* their  eyes  against  the  light — refused  offered  mer- 
cy— to  whom  prophet  after  prophet  was  sent  to  call  them  to 
repentance,  and  warn  them  to  flee  the  wrath  to  come.  But 
these  were  stoned  and  put  to  death.  And  last,  God  sent  tJiem 
his  Son.  He  spake  as  never  man  spake;  he  performed  works 
such  as  man  never  performed;  he  warned  and  entreated  them; 
he  wept  over  them ;  and,  as  a  hen  spreads  her  wings  over  her 
brood  to  preserve  them  from  the  bird  of  prey,  he  stretched  out 
his  love  and  compassion  to  preserve  them  from  danger.  But,  Oh 
lamentable!  they  refused  his  protection,  and  put  him  to  death, 
crying,  "iZzs  blood  be  on  us  and  on  our  children.''''  And  what 
were  the  consequences  ?  Woe,  wretchedness,  and  desolation, 
came  upon  them ;  and  their  nation  was  destroyed,  and  the  few  in 
dividuals  who  were  left,  were  scattered  to  the  four  winds  of  hea- 
ven, and  are,  to  this  day,  despised  ot  all  men.  But  all  the  woes 
and  misery  which  came  upon  them,  were  not  to  be  compared 
to  the  horrid  torments  which  they  were  doomed  to  experience 
in  the  flames  of  hell.  And,  sinners,  the  keenest  anguish  that 
can  be  felt  in  this  life  bears  no  comparison  to  that  unutterable 
torment  which  awaits  you  beneath  the  weight  of  God's  wrath 
in  hell. 


•*»-^- 


SERMON    XI. 


ON  THE  BlilNDING   POI^ICIES  OF  SATAN. 


But  if  our  Gospel  be  hid,  it  is  hid  to  them  that  are  lost:  in  whom 
the  God  of  this  world  hath  blinded  the  mindsitof  them  which  be- 

.  lieve  not,  lest  the  light  of  the  glorious  Gospel  of  Christ,  who 
is  the  image  of  God,  should  shine  unto  them. — 2  Cor.  iv. 
3  and  4. 


The  Gospel  is  defined,  glad  tidings,  or  a  bundle  of  good  news. 
Indeed,  it  is  the  sweetest  sound  that  ever  reached  the  ears  of 
sinners  of  Adam's  race;  for  it  conveys  to  them  the  blesseA 
tidings  of  a  door  of  mercy  being  opened  for  poor,  guilty,  con- 
demned criminals — of  pardon  and  reconciliation  to  God,  and 
of  a  full  and  eternal  salvation  through  the  atoning  blood  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  But,  alas!  sinners  treat  it  as  the  Jews  did 
its  divine  author:  "ife  came  to  his  own,  but  his  own  received  him 
not.^^  And  they  hear  the  Gospel  as  the  antedeluvians  heard 
the  preaching  of  Noah:  "T^e  light  shines  in  darkness,  but  the 
darkness  comprehendelh  it  not;  Christ  crucified  is  to  the  Jews  a 
stumbling  block,  and  to  the  Greeks  foolishness.''''  And  the  cause 
of  all  this  we  have  in  the  text:  ""Our  Gospel  is  hid  to  them  that 
are  lost.^''  But  how  is  the  ^''Gospel  hid  from  them  that  are  lost?''"' 
We  are  informed  that  "  The  God  of  this  world  hath  blinded  the 
minds  of  them  that  believe  not.''  The  devil,  in  Scripture,  is  styled, 
''^  The  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air;  the  spirit  that  loorks  in  the 
children  of  disobedience.''''  These  expressions  have  an  allusion 
to  his  dwelling  or  reigning  in  the  hearts  of  sinners,  and  to  his 
leading  them  from  one  degree  of  sin  to  another,  until  they 
are  ripe  for  hell,  and  to  their  yielding  themselves  his  willing 
slaves,  and  being  well  pleased  with  his  cruel  government. — 
He  is  termed  "a  strong  man  armed^''  because  he  keeps  the 
throne  in  the  sinner's  heart,  and  fortifies  it  against  the  attacks 
of  the  Word  and  Spirit  of  God.  He  is  termed  Hlie  God 
of  this  world^''  be<"ause  he  is  the  God  of  sinners;  for   they 

17 


114  ON    THE    BLINDING 

bear  his  imcge;  they  possess  his  nature  and  disposition;  they 
do  his  will  and  promote  his  interests  in  the  world.  In  or- 
der to  maintain  his  tyrannical  dominion  over  them,  he  blinds 
their  minds,  hardens  their  hearts,  sears  their  consciences,  and 
shuts  the  avenues  of  their  souls  against  the  light  of  God's  Word 
and  Spirit;  and  his  design  in  thus  blinding  them,  we  are  inform- 
ed, in  the  words  of  the  text,  is,  "Zes/  the  light  of  the  glorious  Gos- 
pel of  Christ,  ivho  is  the  image  of  God,  should  shine  imto  them.^^ 
As  long  as  he  can  keep  the  sinner  blind  to  his  danger,  and  to 
the  excellencies  of  Jesus  Christ,  so  long  may  he  rule  him  and 
keep  him  his  willing  captive;  and  thus  the  ^''Gospel  is  hid  to  them 
that  are  lost.'''' 

In  the  prosecution  of  the  subject,  I  will 

I.  Point  out  the  persons  from  whom  the  Gospel  is  hid. 

II.  Speak  of  the  methods  by  which  Satan  blinds  the  minds  of 
sinners. 

I.  Point  out  the  persons  from  whom  the  Gospel  is  hid;  and, 

1st.  The  Gospel  is  hid  to  all  deists  or  infidels,  who  reject  it  as 
a  fable,  and  who  treat  Jesus  Christ  as  an  impostor.  These  per- 
sons wilfully  shut  the  door  of  mercy  against  themselves,  and 
make  their  own  damnation  sure.  '^Light  is  come  into  the  world, 
but  they  choose  darkness  rather  than  light  f  they  condemn  the 
Bible,  but  they  have  never  seriously  investigated  the  subject, 
>  and  weighed  the  evidences  and  arguments  on  both  sides  of  the 
question;  they  will  not  come  to  the  light,  for  they  fear  convic- 
tion, and  wish  to  be  deceived.  If  they  can  persuade  themselves 
that  religion. is  a  delusion,  and  that  God  is  a  filthy,  depraved  be- 
ing like  themselves,  who  will  connive  at  sin,  then  they  can  run 
into  every  excess  without  dreading  the  consequences. 

2d.  The  unthinking,  v/ho  take  no  interest  in  religion,  and 
cannot  tell  whether  the  Bible  is  true  or  false;  for  they  have  ne- 
ver read  it — perhaps  they  never  possessed  it — they  cannot  tell 
whether  there  be  a  hell :  on  this  matter  they  have  never  reflect- 
ed. They  are  ignorant  of  the  use  of  prayer;  therefore,  they 
never  attend  to  it.  They  spend  the  Sabbath  in  visiting  and 
various  frivolous  amusements;  but  they  think  there  is  no  harm 
in  all  this;  for  they  have  never  seriously  reflected  on  the  im- 
propriety of  their  conduct.  They  indulge  in  all  manner  of  sin- 
ful pleasures,  and  yet  they  think  themselves  innocent,  harmless 
creatures,  who  injure  none  but  themselves.  To  all  such,  the 
Gospel  is  hid;  their  eyes  are  blinded  by  the  God  of  this  world, 
and  they  wilfully  make  their  own  damnation  sure. 

3d.  All  who  slight  the  means  of  grace.  These  persons  ne- 
ver attend  the  public  preaching  of  God's  word;  or,  if  they  are 
occasionally  present,  they  do  not  listen  to  a  solitary  sentence 
during  the  sermon;  or  they  seat  themselves  out  of  doors,  and 
nre  employed  in  laughing,  jesting,  or  conversing  on  trifling  sub- 


POLICIES  OF  SATAN.  113 

jects;  when  they  profess  to  be  worshipping  God,  their  thoughts, 
like  the  fool's  eye,  wander  to  the  end  of  the  earth,  and  their 
minds  are  employed  about  their  speculations,  or  some  other  tem- 
poral business.  When  they  return  home,  they  cannot  tell  a 
sentence  that  was  uttered  by  the  preacher;  but  with  great  ex- 
actness they  can  describe  the  color  and  fashion  of  every  dress, 
coat  and  bonnet  in  the. congregation.  To  all  such  persons  the 
Gospel  is  hid. 

4th.  All  Who  live  in  the  love  and  practice  of  sin;  all  drunk- 
ards, swearers,  debauchees,  liars  and  openly  profane  sinners;  to 
all  such  the  Gospel  is  hid;  they  boldly  and  openly  work  out 
their  own  damnation;  they  glory  in  their  shame;  the  language 
of  their  conduct  is,  I  make  no  pretensions  to  religion — the 
world  sees  me,  sinner  as  I  am;  I  wish  it  to  be  known  that  I  am 
of  my  father,  the  devil,  and  that  his  works  I  will  do ;  that  I  ac- 
knowledge no  allegiance  to  the  Sovereign  of  the  universe;  that 
I  never  bow  my  knee  to  the  God  that  made  me,  and  that  I  do 
not  feel  myself  bound  to  obey  any  of  his  commands. 

5th.  All  prayerless  persons,  who  never  pray  in  secret  nor  in 
their  families,  have  a  convincing  proof,  in  their  own  breasts,  that 
to  them  the  Gospel  is  hid,  and  that  the  God  of  this  world  has 
blinded  their  minds-  Although  they  are  under  the  curse  of  the . 
law,  and  hang  over  the  gulf  of  he'll  by  the  brittle  thread  of  life; 
although  God  is  angry  with  them  every  day,  and  they  know  not 
how  soon  death,  like  a  thief  in  the  night,  will  surprise  them,  and 
plunge  them  into  the  flames  of  the  pit;  yet,  they  are  blind  to 
their  danger;  careless  and  prayerless,  they  press  on,  indulging 
their  sinful  propensities,  despising  religion,  and  mocking  at 
things  eternal,  till,  in  an  unexpected  moment,  they  are  seized  by 
the  grim  monster,  placed  beyond  the  reach  of  mercy,  and  con- 
fined in  the  prison  of  heli 

6th.  All  stiflers  of  coaviction,  who  resist  the  operations  of 
the  Spirit,  and  wear  oif  the  impressions  he  has  made  on  their 
minds;  to  them  the  Gospel  is  hid.  And,  alas!  how  many  of  this 
description  are  to  be  found  in  this  enlightened  land!  Sinners, 
when  seated  under  the  preaching  of  the  word,  has  not  your  con- 
•  dition  been  frequently  so  plainly  pointed  out,  that  conscience 
whispered,  in  the  words  of  Nathan  to  David,  '•^Thou  art  the 
man  ?"  You  have  often  been  convinced,  that,  without  repentance, 
hell  must  be  your  portion ;  but  you  no  sooner  left  the  house  of 
God  than  you  betook  yourselves  to  your  ungodly  companions — 
laughed  away  your  convictions,  and  returned  to  your  sin  and  . 
folly;  or,  perhaps,  you  have  been  for  a  time  deeply  convicted; 
you  then  abandoned  your  sinful  practices — you  prayed  in  secret, 
and  made  many  solemn  Vows  to  God  that  you  would  never 
again  return  to  sin;  but  the  world  and  its  pleasures  gradually 
overcame  your  resolutions,  and  your  last  state  is  worse  than 


\16  ON    THE    BLINDING 

the  first:  ^^When  the  unclean  spirit  is  gone  out  of  a  man,  he  walk- 
eth  through  dry  places^  seeking  rest;  and^Jinding  none,  he  saith, 
I  will  return  to  my  house  whence  I  came  out:  and  when  he  cometh, 
he  Jindeth  it  empty,  swept,  and  garnished.  Then  goeth  he  and 
taketh  to  him  seven  spirits,  more  wicked  than  himself,  and  they 
enter  in  and  dwell  there;  and  the  last  state  of  that  man  is  worse 
than  thefrst.^^ 

Our  congregations  abound  with  those  who  were  once  deeply 
convicted,  who  forsook  the  pleasures  of  the  world,  and  who 
^^heard  the  word  with  joy,  and  received  it  gladly,^''  and  professed 
to  feel  great  pleasure  in  drawing  near  to  God  in  secret  and  fa- 
mily prayer,  who  regularly  attended  the  preaching  of  the  gos- 
pel, who  often  sat  down  at  a  communion  table,  and  who  have 
frequently  exhorted  their  friends  and  relations  to  flee  the  wrath 
to  come;  but  how  is  it  with  them  now,  the  Gospel  is  hid  to  them? 
They  are  blinded  by  the  God  of  this  world:  '''•It  has  happened 
unto  them  accoi'ding  to  the  true  proverb :  the  dog  is  turned  to  his 
own  vomit  again,  and  the  sow,  that  was  washed,  to  her  wallowing 
in  the  mire.''"'  And  now  they  live  as  careless  and  prayerless  as 
those  who  never  seriously  thought  of  God  and  religion;  they 
rarely  attend  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel;  their  consciences 
are  '•'' seared  as  with  an  hot  ironf  and  of  all  descriptions  of  sin- 
ners, their  condition  is  the  most  hopeless. 

7th.  All  worldly  minded  persons;  whose  highest  object  is  the 
wealth  or  pleasure  of  this  world ;  their  great  employment  is  to 
amass  wealth  and  enjoy  sinful  pleasure;  but  they  are  not  at  all 
concerned  about  the  salvation  of  their  souls.  They  can  sit  from 
Sabbath  to  Sabbath,  under  the  most  awful  and  alarming  sermon's, 
and  be  as  unfeeling  as  the  seats  on  which  they  sit;  instead  of 
listening  to  the  Word  of  God,  you  may  see  them  gazing  over 
the  assembly,  or  repeatedly  trudging  ^ut  and  into  the  house,  to 
the  great  annoyance  of  the  congregation.  To  all  such,  '•Hhe 
Gospel  is  hid,  for  the  God  of  this  world  hath  blinded  their  tninds, 
lest  the  glorious  Gospel  of  Christ,  who  is  the  image  of  God,  should 
shine  unto  them.'''' 

II.  Speak  of  the  methods  by  which  Satan  blinds  the  minds  of 
sinners.  When  we  consider  unconverted  sinners  as  being  blind  • 
to  the  danger  to  which  they  are  exposed,  and  incapable  of  view- 
ing the  beauty  and  excellency  of  Christ  and  his  salvation,  and 
when  we  are  informed  that  "Me  God  of  this  world  has  thus  blind- 
ed their  minds,^''  the  expression  must  refer  to  the  methods  by 
which  he  excludes  spiritual  light  from  them. 

1st.  He  persuades  sinners  to  live  prayerless,  and  make  no 
exertions  for  salvation.  When  a  sinner  hears  an  awakening 
sermon,  or  when  he  is  privately  warned  by  the  ministers  or 
people  of  God  to  flee  the  wrath  to  come,  then  Satan  says,  sit 
still;  if  you  are  a  sinner,  you  do  not  feel  yourself  such;  if  you 


POLICIES    OF    SATAN.  117 

are  in  danger,  you  do  not  see  it;  it  would  be  very  absurd  in  you 
to  cry  for  mercy  when  you  are  blind  to  your  danger;  it  would 
be  very  foolish  for  you  to  pray  when  you  do  not  feel  the  burden 
of  guilt;  and  for  you  to  be  striving  for  salvation,  when  you  are 
not  convinced  of  sin,  would  be  to  mock  God;  sit  still,  and  wait 
God's  time;  strive  to  get  rich,  drink,  swear,  and  profane  the 
Sabbath;  attend  all  places  of  merriment;  absent  yourself  from 
the  ministrations  of  all  alarming,  awakening  preachers,  and  ne- 
ver think  of  religion,  death,  heaven  or  hell ;  until  God  gives  you 
a  call  you  cannot  withstand ;  and  then  it  will  be  time  for  you  to 
seek  your  soul's  salvation. 

2d.  In  order  to  blind  the  sinner's  heart  against  the  light  of 
God's  Word  and  Spirit,  Satan  fills  his  mind  with  prejudice  against 
experimental  religion.  O,  says  that  old  serpent,  the  devil,  con- 
version and  a  sensible  experience  of  the  love  of  God  shed  ■ 
abroad  in  the  heart,  communion  with  God,  and  Christ  in  the 
soul,  the  hope  of  glory,  are  only  wild  delusions,  peculiar  to  weak 
minds;  such  a  religion  will  sink  you  into  contempt;  the  gay  and 
respectable  members  of  society  will  esteem  you  a  fanatic;  pay 
no  attention  to  these  whining,  bawling,  conversion  preachers, 
who,  instead  of  pleasing  and  improving  your  taste  with  geogra- 
phy, philosophy,  and  astronomy,  are  forever  talking  about  a  cru- 
cified Christ,  and  the  pardoning  love  of  God,  and  are  constantly 
terrifying  you  with  the  curses  of  the  law  and  the  terrors  of  the 
second  death.  Instead  of  following  such,  take  for  your  guides 
those  wise  persons  who  have  found  out  and  written  about  a  bet- 
ter way  of  religion  than  that  pointed  out  by  the  Holy  Spirit  in 
the  Word  of  God.  These  men  profess  Christianity,  and  they 
are  its  warm  and  able  advocates;  but  they  despise  conversion 
and  experimental  religign;  true,  they  are  not  very  strict  in  their 
lives,  but  they  can  show  you  a  pleasant  way  to  heaven,  without 
any  thing  experimental  or  self-denying,  and  which  will  not  ex- 
pose you  to  contempt  for  Christ's  sake. 

3d.  To  blind  the  minds  of  sinners,  Satan  persuades  them  to 
put  off  the  work  of  their  soul's  salvation  until  a  more  conven- 
ient season;  hence  it  is  very  difficult  to  persuade  young  sinners 
to  pray, repent, and  seek  an  interest  in  Christ;  for,  when  they  have 
thoughts  of  turning  to  God,  Satan  says,  you  are  too  young,  gay, 
and  beautiful,  to  engage  in  such  a  gloomy  thing  as  religion — it 
better  suits  gray  heads  and  wrinkled  faces;  they  have  lost  all 
taste  for  the  pleasures  of  this  world;  m.oreover,  if  you  repent 
and  seek  the  Lord,  you  must  part  with  all  your  innocent  amuse- 
ments, balls,  and  such  like;  and  you  know  this  will  be  intolera- 
ble as  death;  moreover,  your  young  companions  will  despise 
and  deride  you;  indeed,  you  will  be  objects  of  ridicule  to  all 
who  are  acquainted  with  you;  were  all  the  youn_;  people  of  tlie 
country  to  become  religious,  then  you  might  try  to  obtain  it: 


118  ON    THE    BLINDING 

but  your  seeking  religion  now,  will  only  render  you  ridiculous 
and  objects  of  contempt.  Therefore,  they  resolve  that,  until 
middle  age,  they  will  risk  eternal  damnation;  but  that,  at  that 
period  they  will  be  associating  with  a  more  soliS  class  of  men,' 
and  then  they  will  change  their  manner  of  life ;  but  when  mid- 
dle age  arrives,  the  cares  of  the  world  and  the  deceitfulness  of 
riches  extinguish  every  serious  thought  and  useful  impression. 
Their  great  aim  now  is,  to  have  a  good  farm,  an  elegant  house, 
and  an  independent  fortune.  To  accomplish  all  this,  ten  thou- 
sand projects  and  speculations  occupy  their  thoughts  and  affec- 
tions, and  they  have  no  time  to  attend  to  their  soul's  salvation ; 
therefore,  they  put  off  repentance  and  conversion  until  old  age. 
At  last,  old  age  arrives ;  Wlit,  alas !  their  hearts  are  so  hard,  and 
their  consciences  so  seared,  that  they  find  it  impossible  to  attend 
to  the  work  of  repentance  and  faith;  perhaps  their  damnation 
is  sealed,  and  their  hearts,  like  that  of  Pharaoh,  judicially  har- 
dened. Indeed,  you  will  generally  find  that  the  gray-headed 
sinner  is  an  infidel,  a  profane  swearer,  a  confirmed  drunkard,  or 
a  malignant  scoffer  at  religion ;  and  his  case  is  nearly  as  hopeless 
as  if  he  were  already  in  hell. 

4th.  To  blind  the  hearts  oi  sinners  and  ensure  their  damna- 
tion, Satan  strives  to  make  them  ashamed  of  serious  thoughts 
about  religion, death,  and  a  future  state;  hence  nothing  mortifies 
them  more  than  to  think  that  others  know  they  entertain  seri- 
ous thoughts  about  seeking  the  salvation  of  their  souls,  and  were 
they  found  on  their  knees  before  God,  they  would  be  as  much 
ashamed  of  it  as  if  they  had  been  engaged  in  some  base,  scan- 
dalous act.     When  under  the  preaching  of  the  Word,  their 
hearts  are  pierced  with  conviction,  and   their  minds  are  filled 
with  distress,  from  a  sense  of  their  exposure  to  hell,  they  quake 
with  fear,  lest  their  unconverted  companions  should  discover 
their  feeling;  hence  they  assume  the  appearance  of  heroic  bold- 
ness; they  try  to  look  around  upon  the  congregation,  and  force 
themselves  to  appear  careless  and  inattentive.     When  the  ar- 
row of  conviction  pierces  their  hearts,  for  a  moment  they  ap- 
pear gloomy  and  sad;  but  the  next  moment  a  forced  smile  plays 
upon  their  lips.  If  they  are  compelled  to  shed  tears,  they  quickly 
wipe  them  away,  and  are  as  much  ashamed  to  be  seen  in  this 
situation,  by  their  unconverted  companions,  as  to  be  found  steal- 
ing; hence  the  sinner  will  lie  rather  than  discover  the  real  feel- 
ings of  his  heart;  he  will  say,  I  don't  know  what  ailed  me,  but 
I  had  no  serious  thoughts  about  the  salvation  of  my  soul,  nor  of 
death,  judgment,  nor  eternity;  and,  in  order  to  avoid  disgrace, 
he  will  turn  religion  into  ridicule,  and  laugh  vehemently  at  con- 
viction, conversion,  and  damnation.  Surely  the  sinner  has  often 
hard  work  to  get  to  hell.     But  when   the  arrow  of  convic- 
tion sticks  fast  in  his  conscience,  and  he  is  brought  to   seri- 


POLICIES  OF    S4TAN. 


ous  consideration,  O,  says  the  devil,  shake  it  off',  drink, 
laugh,  or  dance  it  away;  you  must  not  pray  in  secret,  or  your 
companions  will  detect  you.  If  you  attempt  to  seek  religion, 
a  thousand  to  one,  but'  you  will  fall  back  into  sin,  and  then  your 
case  will  be  much  worse  than  before;  therefore,  you  had  better 
abandon  all  thoughts  of  it,  live  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  pleasures 
of  the  world,  and  risk  the  future  state. 

But,  perhaps  conviction  has  sunk  so  deep  into  the  sinner's 
heart,  that  lie  is  afraid  to  turn  back,  and,  like  Agrippa,  he  is  almost 
persuaded  to  become  a  Christian:  says  Satan,  stop  and  count 
the  cost.  If  you  set  out  to  seek  religion,  you  will  disgrace 
yourself;  you  know  you  are  apt  to  drink  a  glass  of  liquor  too 
much  occasionally;  perhaps  your  disposition  will  lead  you  into 
a  passion ;  perhaps  when  you  are  insulted,  you  may  slip  out  an 
oath,  or  engage  in  a  fight;  perhaps  you  may  be  persuaded  to  go 
to  a  ball  and  dance,  or  perhaps  you  may  become  lively  in  jovial 
company ;  then  every  one  will  think  of  your  religion,  and  laugh 
and  sneer  and  hiss  at  th^  hypocrite ;  and  then  you  will  be  desti- 
tute of  all  associates,  for  Christians  will  despise  you  because 
you  have  no  religion,  and  the  wicked  will  treat  you  as  an  im- 
postor; therefore,  banish  from  your  mind  all  thoughts  of  reli- 
gion, and  live  in  the  enjoyment  of  sin. 

*5th.  When  the  sinner's  mind  is  distressed  about  his  condi- 
tion, and  he  is  about  to  start  for  eternal  life,  Satan  will  strive  to 
prejudice  him  against  some  things  attending  the  operations  of 
the  Holy  Spirit.  Says  the  tempter,  if  you  could  slip  into  reli- 
gion, and  no  person  know  it  until  you  made  a  profession,  this 
would  be  quite  decent;  but,  before  you  can  obtain  it,  you  must 
be  a  spectacle  to  all  around  you,  and  how  unmanly  and  weak 
minded  will  you  appear,  to  be  weeping  and  bowing  your  head 
like  a  wIIIovn^,  under  every  sermon  you  hear;  your  gloomy,  monk- 
ish, and  melancholy  aspect,  will  render  you  ridiculous ;  but  should 
you  be  seized  with  bodily  agitation,  should  you  be  constrained 
to  fall  to  the  ?arth  like  Paul  and  the  jailor,  should  you  be  brought 
to  cry  for  mercy  in  the  public  congregation,  like  many  under 
the  preaching  of  the  apostles,  or  should  you  be  seized  with  the 
jerks,  as  many  are  iu  the  present  day,  could  you  support  your- 
self under  such  disgrace?  Would  it  not  be  much  better  to  live 
in  sin,  even  if  you  should  be  damned  at  last,  than  to  obtain  reli- 
gion on  such  humiliating  terms  ? 

But  if,  notwithstanding  all  the  efforts  of  Satan,  the  sinner  will 
cry  to  God  for  mercy,  his  next  stratagem  is,  to  send  the  fowls 
of  hell  to  gather  up  the  good  seed  the  Spirit  of  God  has  sown 
in  his  heart,  and  now  his  wicked  companions  approach  him  with 
all  the  craft  and  subtlety  of  their  fathier,  the  devil;  for  the  pur- 
pose of  alluring  him  into  sin,  they  persuade  him  to  visit  the  ta- 
vern, or  put  the  inebriating  bowl  -to  his  mouth,  or  visit  the  race- 


120  ON    THE    BLINDING 

ground,  or  ball-room ;  and  it  too  often  happens  that  the  awaken- 
ed sinner  yields  to  temptation,  grieves  the  Spirit  of  God,  and 
sinks  into  perdition. 

But  if  this  stratagem  fails,  he  tries  more  violent  measures;  he 
stirs  up  his  wicked  companions  to  torment,  reproach,  and  perse- 
cute him,  and  to  do  their  utmost  to  laugh  him  out  of  his  soul's 
salvation;  sometimes  the  devil  stirs  up  the  rage  of  his  ungodly 
relatives,  if  possible  to  force  him  to  flee  the  wrath  to  come ;  and 
thus  unconverted  parents,  wives,  and  husbands,  become  instru- 
mental in  the  damnation  of  their  own  relations. 

If  these  efforts  fail,  and  the  devil  cannot  thereby  draw  the 
sinner  into  his  former  wicked  practices,  and  hardness  of  heart, 
he  tries  him  upon  new  ground,  viz:  to  deceive  him,  and  influ- 
ence him  to  settle  down  on  a  false  hope,  and  rest  short  of  Christ; 
and,  by  this  means,  thousands  fall  back  to  sin,  and  lose  their 
souls.  Some  go  no  farther  than  an  external  reformation;  on  this 
they  depend:  some  mistake  certain  enlargements  and  meltings 
of  the  passions,  for  religion;  while  ofhers  embrace  some  phan- 
tom or  chimera  furnished  to  their  imagination  by  the  devil;  (thus, 
for  instance,  they  imagine  that  they  see  Christ  smiling  upon 
them,  or  hanging  upon  the  cross;)  this  they  embrace  for  reli- 
gion, and  thereby  lose  their  souls.  But,  lastly,  the  devil  blinds 
the  minds  of  sinners,  by  filling  them  with  prejudice  against  "the 
ministers  of  the  Gospel ;  and,  when  this  is  accomplished,  did  the 
minister  speak  with  the  zeal  of  Paul,  or  the  eloquence  of  Apol- 
los,  all  his  labors  would  prove  in  vain ;  sinners  would  sleep  on  in 
carnal  security,  unmoved  by  his  most  alarming  discourses.  But 
what  is  still  more  fatal,  is,  for  the  minds  of  the  people  of  God  to 
be  filled  with  this  prejudice;  perhaps  because  he  is  not  of  their 
party,  or  because  they  think  he  holds  certain  doctrines  contra- 
ry to  their  creed,  or  on  some  other  account,  he  is  not  the  ob- 
ject of  their  esteem;  therefore  they  seldom  carry  his  case  to  God 
by  prayer;  they  are  not  interested  in  the  success  of  his  minis- 
try. In  a  word,  they  would  be  as  well  satisfied  to  see  all  the 
sinners  of  the  congregation  forever  damned,  as  t/iat  they  should 
be  converted,  by  his  ministry. 

APPLICATION. 

Have  I  not  a  witness  in  the  breasts  of  my  hearers,  that  this 
doctrine  is  true  ?  Have  I  not  preached  the  experience  of  many 
who  hear  me,  and  does  not  conscience  tell  you  that  your  minds 
are  blinded  by  the  God  of  this  world? 

I  have  preached  nearly  tw^o  years  in  this  place,  and  I  know 
not  that  my  ministry  has  been  to  the  smallest  purpose.  I  have 
reason  to  conclude,  that  no  soul  has  been  converted  by  my  in- 
strumentality. I  can  appeal  to  God  that  I  have  desired  your 
salvation  as  I  have  desired  my  own;  I  have  endeavored  to  find 
out  the  most  profitable  subjects,  and  to  improve  them  in  such  a 


POLICES    or     SATAN.  ISI 

way  as  would  have  the  most  probable  tendency  to  touch  the 
heart  and  awaken  the  conscience — but  all  in  vain.  I  have  longed, 
and  hoped  against  hope,  until  all  hope  seems  to  be  gone,  and  still 
there  is  not  one  soul  awakened.  The  awful  conclusion  comes  out 
at  last:  "7/*  ou?-  Gospel  be  hid,  it  is  hid  to  them  that  are  lost^  in  whom 
the  God  of  this  world  hath  blinded  the  minds  of  them  that  believe 
not,  lest  the  light  of  the  glorious  Gospel  of  Christy  who  is  the  tm- 
age  of  Godf  should  shine  unto  them." 

18 


SERMON    XII. 


THE  OANOER  OF  REXECTING   THE  IVEANS  OF  SALVATION. 


He  that,  being  often  reproved,  hardeneth  his  neclc,  shall  be  suddenly 
destroyed,  and  that  without  remedy. — Proverbs  xxix.  1. 


The  book  of  the  Proverbs  of  Solomon  is  a  rich  cabinet  of 
jevi^els,  an  invaluable  collection  of  the  most  precious  divine 
truths.  Every  sentence  contains  a  system  of  wisdom,  and  ev- 
ery proverb  holds  out  the  most  forcible  instructions,  accommo- 
dated to  matters  both  of  temporal  and  eternal  concern.  Here 
we  may  find  infallible  rules  to  direct  us  in  all  the  business  and 
common  affairs  of  life;  and  those  instructions,  at  the  same  time, 
are  as  forcible,  as  weighty,  and  as  important  in  the  duties  and 
exercises  of  religion.  Every  proverb  is  short  and  concise,  con- 
tained in  a  very  few  words,  and  therefore  more  easily  retained 
in  the  memory;  and,  for  the  most  part,  they  are  expressed  in  me- 
taphorical language,  and  therefore  the  more  pleasing  and  enter- 
taining to  the  mind. 

But  of  all  these  sayings  of  the  wisest  of  men,  there  is  none 
more  weighty  or  worthy  of  our  attention,  than  the  proverb  con- 
tained in  our  text:  ''''He  that,  being  often  reproved,  hardeneth  his 
neck,  shall  be  suddenly  destroyed,  and  that  rvithout  remedy,''^ 

This  proverb  may  be  fitly  spoken  concerning  all  situations; 
in  whatever  course  a  man  blunders  on,  headstrong  and  regard- 
less of  advice  or  admonition,  whether  it  be  in  domestic  afiairs, 
in  trade,  in  politics,  in  war,  or  in  any  thing  else  which  he  pursues 
by  wrong  measures  with  incorrigible  obstinacy.  And  Solomon, 
no  doubt,  designed  it  to  be  thus  applied  in  a  remote  sense,  since 
he  was  a  good  economist,  a  wise  politician,  and  a  man  well 
skilled  in  all  the  affairs  of  life. 

But  certainly  in  a  more  direct  sense,  he  designed  its  applica- 
tion for  matters  of  religion;  and,  indeed,  it  holds  good  in  things 
of  spiritual  and  eternal  concern,  that  "^e  that,  being  often  re- 


THK   DANGER    OF    REJECTINa,    fec.  t83 

proved,  and  hardeneth  his  neck,  shall  be  suddenly  destroyed,  and 
that  without  remedy.'^ 

In  this  sense  of  the  text,  we  shall  prosecute  the  subject;  and, 
for  its  further  illustration,  we  shall 

I.  Consider  some  of  the  reproofs  by  which  God  would  re' 
claim  sinners; 

II.  Some  of  the  means  by  which  sinners  harden  their  necks 
against  his  i-eproofs; 

III.  The  dreadful,  but  inevitable  doom  of  the  impenitent: 
they  "^Aa/Z  be  suddenly  destroyed,  raid  that  without  remedy.''' 

And  here  a  few  prefatory  remarks;  and  we  would 

1st.  Observe,  that,  to  reprove,  is  just  to  charge  a  person  with 
his  faults  to  his  face,  in  such  a  plain  and  pointed  mannei',  as  to 
make  him  ashamed  of  the  baseness  and  impropriety  of  his 
conduct. 

2d.  Every  reproof  tends  either  directly  or  indirectly  to  the 
reformation  of  the  person  reproved,  unless  he  is  wilfully  obsti- 
nate and  incorrigible. 

3d.  These  reproofs,  which  come  from  the  word  of  God,  the 
Spirit  of  God,  and  the  dictates  of  conscience,  are  designed  for 
the  sinner's  good,  to  reclaim  him  from  sin  and  wrath,  and  would 
have  this  eftect,  if  carefully  and  diligently  attended  to.  But  to 
proceed: 

How  many  reproofs  are  directed  to  sinner§  by  God,  through 
the  means  of  a  pious  education.  You  that  have  been  raised  by 
Christian  parents,  how  often  have  your  fathers  and  mothers  told 
you,  with  weeping  eyes  and  heart  breaking  sorrow,  that  you 
were  going  to  hell.  How  often  have  they  plead  with  you,  in 
tenderest  concern  for  your  souls,  to  turn  from  your  sinful  prac- 
tices; to  pray  and  cry  for  mercy;  to  seek  salvation,  and  obtain 
an  interest  in  Christ,  while  the  door  of  mercy  was  open!  How 
often  have  they  honestly  told  you  that  hell  would  be  your  por- 
tion, unless  you  repented  of  your  sins  and  turned  to  God?  But 
do  all  parents  make  it  their  business  to  administer  reproofs  like 
these?  Alas,  no!  and  yet  their  children  must  be  converted, 
must  experience  the  joys  of  pardoned  sin,  or  else  be  damned. 
You  have  not  told  them  of  your  own  experience,  of  God's 
work  upon  your  own  hearts.  You  have  never  pressed  them  to 
quit  every  sin  2i^f\.  make  sure  of  an  interest  in  Christ.  No.  If 
you  could  learn  them  to  work,  to  make  bargains,  and  gather 
riches,  you  thought  you  were  doing  very  well.  If  you  learned 
them  to  read  and  get  the  shorter  catechism,  you  thought  that 
was  religion  enough.  Yea,  have  not  the  ungodly  lives  and  con- 
duct of  many  professing  parents  been  a  stumbling  block,  and 
the  means  of  hardening  their  children,  and  ripening  them  for 
hell?  Your  neglect  of  secret  prayer,  of  family  devotions — your 
trifling,  ungodly  conduct,  have  hardened  your  families  in  sin.— 


124  THE    DANGER    OF    REJECTINO 

And  have  you  not  often  told  them,  or  at  least  said  in  their  hear- 
ing, "There  is  no  need  for  such  an  ado  about  religion;  the  min- 
isters carry  matters  too  far;  people  might  be  good  enough  and 
go  to  heaven,  without  all  this  noise  about  conversion  and  the 
new  birth."** 

2d.  Have  you  not  been  often  reproved  by  some  friend,  rela- 
tion, or  acquaintance?  Impressed  with  an  earnest  desire  for 
your  welfare,  have  they  not  informed  you  that  your  state  was 
miserable  and  wretched,  and  exhorted  you  to  repent  and  turn 
to  God? 

3d.  Were  you  not  reproved,  time  after  time,  during  the  revi- 
val a  few  years  ago,  when  the  Lord  had  graciously  poured  out 
his  Spirit  in  this  backsliding  and  guilty  land?  Did  not  every, 
soul-searching  sermon  cut  you  to  the  heart,  and  make  you  trem- 
ble, like  Felix,  under  a  sense  of  the  dismal  horrors  of  your  state? 
Yea,  did  they  not  set  you,  like  Esau,  to  seek  your  salvation  sor- 
rowfully with  tears?  Did  not  the  very  looks,  the  appearance 
and  conversation  of  your  friends  ;;nd  neighbors,  under  bitter 
awakenings  and  anxious  concern  about  their  souls,  reprove  your 
stupidity,  pain  and  torment  your  souls,  every  time  you  saw  them 
at  meeting,  or  met  and  conversed  with  them? 

4th.  Has  not  conscience  pained,  tortured,  and  often  reproved 
you,  when  lying  upon  a  sick  bed,  or  when  some  valued  friend 
has  been  snatched  away  by  death?  Then  did  not  conscience 
alarm  you  with  all  the  horrors  of  your  situation?  It  whispered 
to  yoCir  inmost  soul,  that  all  was  wrong  with  you;  that  you  were 
unprepared  to  die.  Hell  stared  you  in  the  face,  with  all  its 
gloomy  torments.  Then  you  prayed  and  cried  for  mercy. — 
You  promised  God  again  and  again,  that  if  you  were  spared, 
you  would  repent  and  seek  his  favor.  But,  no  sooner  did  your 
disease  abate,  or  the  alarming  providence  was  a  little  out  of 
sight,  than  your  vows  were  broken,  and  your  resolutions  for- 
gotten. 

5th.  You  have  been  reproved  year  after  year.  Sabbath  rifter 
Sabbath,  by  the  faithful  preaching  of  God's  Word.  Your  guilty 
souls  have  often  been  probed  to  the  bottom;  all  the  hidden  re- 
cesses of  the  heart,  the  lurking  places  of  hypocrisy  and  deceit 
have  been  laid  open  to  your  view.  And  has  not  conscience, 
faithfully  applying  the  Word,  cried  in. your  ears,^ight  and  day, 
^'Thou  art  the  man?''''  And  you  have  loathed  yourself  in  dust 
and  ashes.     But  these  things  were  suflcred  to  wear  away. 

6th.  God's  Holy  Spirit  has  been  your  reprover,  convincing 
you  of  sin,  righteousness,  and  a  judgment  to  come,  showing 
you  your  need  qf  Christ  and  his  salvation.  Many  of  you  can 
look  back  for  months  and  years,  to  times  of  awakening,  when 
the  Spirit  of  God  brought  home  conviction  to  your  hearts,  with 
light  and  power;  when  you  saw  yourselves  plainly  in  the  road 


THE    MEANS    OF    SALVATION.  125 

to  ruin,  and  exposed  to  the  wrath  of  an  angry  God,  your  soul 
was  filled  with  agony  and  distress;  you  prayed  and  wept;  like 
Herod,  you  did  many  things;  you  reformed  your  lives;  you  for- 
sook your  old  companions;  you  left  your  old  sins;  you  groaned 
in  spirit,  tormented  with  fears  of  hell;  some  of  you  gradually 
wore  off  your  convictions;  your  consciences  obtained  ease;  and, 
at  last,  every  serious,  solemn  thought  was  banished,  and  you  are 
now  as  careless  and  prayerless  as  the  beasts  that  perish.  With 
others  of  you,  convictions  continued  until  you  met  with  some 
sweet,  melting  frame,  some  enlargement  in  prayer,  or  some  such 
empty  vapor  or  shadow,  instead  of  Christ.  And  this  is  your 
whole  conversion.  Now  you  remain  dead,  carnal  formalists. — 
Perhaps  the  Spirit  of  God  has  reproved  you  again,  and  sent 
home  your  conviction  with  redoubled  vigor.  Again  you  have 
sought  and  found  ease;  again  he  has  alarmed  you, and  again  you 
have  got  ease.  Such  of  you  have  reason  to  quake  and  tremble; 
for  God  has  said,  '•''My  Spirit  shall  not  always  strive  with  manf 
and  in  the  text,  "iie  that^  being  often  reproved,,  hardeneth  his 
neck,  shall  be  suddenly  destroyed,  and  that  without  remedy.'''' 

II.  We  will  consider  some  of  the  means  by  which  sinners 
harden  their  necks  against  God's  reproofs:  '''•He  that,  being  often 
reproved,  hardeneth  }iis  neck.''''  A  stiff  neck  is  a  metaphor  often 
used  in  Scripture,  to  signify  an  unyielding  spirit,  resolute  in  dis- 
obedience, in  spite  of  all  advice  and  reproof.  Therefore,  in 
various  passages  of  Scripture,  the  rebellious  Jews  are  termed,  a 
'•^stiff-necked people.''"'  This  metaphor  is  taken  from  a  sullen,  un- 
governable ox,  who,  in  spite  of  the  lash  and  goad,  and  all  other 
means  which  may  be  used,  refuses  to  bend  his  neck  and  submit 
to  the  yoke.  And  this  senseless  brute  very  fitly  represents  the 
conduct  of  the  stupid  and  unreasonable  sinner,  who  stiffens  his 
neck  and  hardens  himself  in  sin,  notwithstanding  the  strongest 
persuasions  and  reproofs  of  God.  For  a  person  to  harden  his 
neck,  is  simply  to  continue  obstinate  in  disobedience,  persist  in 
error,  and  refuse  reforn'^ation. 

But,  to  mention  some  of  the  means  by  which  the  sinner  hard- 
ens his  heart,  and  stiffens  his  neck  against  the  admonitions,  per- 
suasions, and  reproofs  of  God's  Word  and  the  Holy  Spirit. 
And, 

1st.  By  a  careless  indifference  and  inattention.  How  many 
never-dying  souls,  who  now  hear  me,  have  sat,  from  year  to  year, 
like  hardened  rocks,  under  the  faithful  preaching  of  the  Word. 
Though  the  terrors  and  thunders  of  Jehovah  have  been  displayed, 
and  the  furnace  of  hell  laid  open  to  your  view;  though  the  grace  of 
the  Gospel  and  the  beauties  of  Jesus;  though  the  unspeakable  glo- 
ries and  bliss  of  the  heavenly  world  have  been  painted  in  the 
most  striking  colors;  yet  their  hearts  have  remained  unmoved 
and  unaffected,  as  the  seats  upon  which  they  sat.     How  often 


126  THE   DANGER    OF    REJECTING 

have  they  been  faithfully  reproved  from  the  pulpit,  of  their  dan- 
ger, and  in  private  too,  of  the  imminent  danger  of  neglecting 
their  souPs  salvation.  But  yet  they  have  paid  no  regard  to 
these  matters,  and  by  such  inattention  and  careless  stupidity, 
they  have  hardened  their  necks. 

2d.  By  an  aversion  and  hatred  of  those  means  which  God  has 
ordained  and  appointed  as  the  medium  through  which  to  com- 
municate spiritual  blessings;  such  as,  reading  the  Bible,  praying, 
self-examination,  hearing  with  attention — which  aversion  and 
hatred,  prove  the  total  depravity  of  human  nature,  and  clearly 
evinces  that  the  unconverted  soul  hates  God  with  a  perfect  ha- 
tred.    Now,  I  appeal  to  your  consciences,  if  this  has  not  been  a 
means  by  which  you  have  hardened  your  hearts  and  stiflened 
your  necks  against  the  reproofs  of  God?     Do  you  not  secretly 
despise  to  read  the  Bible,  and  do  you  not  prefer  to  read' a  play- 
book,  a  newspaper,  a  profane  history,  or  any  other  book,  M'hile 
your  Bible  lies  lor  months  together  upon  the  shelf,  without  being 
opened, unless  sometimes  upon  a  Sabbath  day;  then  you  take 
it  down,  you  open  it  and  read  a  few  verses;  but  it  is  like  a  hard 
day's  work  to  get  through  one  chapter.     You  turn  to  another 
place,  and  if  you.  have  any  satisfaction  at  all,  it  is  in  some  curi- 
ous narrative  in  the  historical  part:  something  about  the  warlike 
exploits  of  Gideon,  Sampson,  David,  &:c.,  or  else  in  finding  some 
text  that  condemns  some  other  man's  opinion.     The  Sabbath  is 
an  intolerable  burden.    It  is  by  far  the  longest  day  of  the  week; 
and  you  had  rather  do  two  days'  hard  work,  than  spend  this  day 
in  reading,  praying,  and  such  exercises  as  God  requires.     You 
sleep  on  Sunday  morning  until  the  sun  is  an  hour  or  two  high. 
You  rise  and  loll  about  till  you  take  breakfast.     You  then  take 
down  a  book  and  try  to  read;  but  the  exercise  is  disagreeable; 
the  time  passes  very  slow;  you  twist  and  turn  upon  your  chair 
twenty  ways;  you  cannot  sit  easy  in  any  position.     In  order  to 
spend  the  tedious  hours,  you  must  walk  round  your  corn-field, 
look  at  your  wheat  and  oats.     Then  you  return  to  the  house 
and  entertain  your  family  a  while  with  the  observations  you 
have  made  upon  your  crop.     At  length  dinner  comes  on — but 
yet  there  is  nearly  one  half  of  the  long  day  to  be  whiled  away; 
you  must  lie  down  and  take  a  little  sleep.     Perhaps  your  con- 
science pains  you  a  little;  but  the  devil  provides  you  with  an 
excuse.     You  were  up  late  last  night,  or  you  did  not  rest  well. 
Or  may  be,  he  persuades  you  that  you  are  a  little  unwell.     You 
sleep  an  hour  or  two;  but  the  day  has  not  gone  yet.   You  must 
walk  over  and  see  one  of  your  neighbors,  who  is  sick;  you  can- 
not spare  time  from' the  plough  to-morrow.  Then  you  spend  the 
afternoon  in  talking  about  the  world.   You  come  home,  and  are 
abed  before  the  daylight  is  out  of  the  skies.     The  next  morn- 
ing, happy  day!  you  are  up  and  about  your  business  by  day- 


THB    MEANS    OF    SALVATION.  127 

light,  or  before.  As  to  secret  or  family  prayer,  this  is  the  most 
toilsome  drudgery.  The  thought  of  praying  one  hour  is  intolera- 
ble, and  you  will  not  do  it  in  despite  of  all  the  reproofs  of  your 
conscience,  God's  Word,  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  the  ministers  of  the 
Gospel.  But  if,  at  any  time,  you  should  do  it,  y^u  are  dragged 
to  it,  as  the  slave  is  dragged  to  his  drudgery,  for  feiir  of  the  lash. 
You  pray  with  as  much  reluctance  as  ever  the  criminal  went  to 
the  place  of  punishment;  and  when  you  have  prayed,  how  hap- 
py you  are  that  the  task  is  performed. 

3d.  By  an  unwillingness  to  examine  the  state  of  their  souls, 
many  harden  their  necks.  The  formal  professor,  the  deceived 
hypocrite,  and  almost  Christian,  risk  their  damnation,  rather  than 
try  the  foundation  of  their  hopes,  know  themselves,  and  come 
into  close  quarters  to  see  the  worst  of  their  case.  Thus  they 
labor  hard  to  stifle  conscience,  and  murder  their  convictions. — 
They  strive  more  anxiously  to  hold  to  their  false  hopes,  than 
ever  they  did  to  work  out  their  salvation. 

4th.  By  a  willingness  to  be  deceived.  The  poor,  almost  Chris- 
tian, struggles  as  for  life  to  retain  his  false  hope,  notwithstanding 
all  reproof.  If  he  is  driven  from  one  carnal  refuge,  he  flies  to 
another;  and  thus  hardens  his  heart  and  stiffens  his  neck,  and 
will  not  look  to  Christ  until  reduced  to  the  last  extreme  of  pain- 
ful necessity.  When  every  other  stratagem  fails,  he  tries  the 
formal  round  of  duties  as  long  as  he  can.  In  a  word,  he  will 
choose  any  carnal  refuge  or  false  resting  place,  any  other  possi- 
ble scheme  or  invention,  rather  than  bow  his  neck  to  Christ's 
yoke,  or  submit  to  God's  method  of  salvation.  Let  such  quake 
and  tremble,  and  be  horribly  afraid,  for  God  has  spoken  it. — 
They  "a'/ju/Z  be  suddenly  destroyed^  and  that  without  remedy.'''' 

III.  Consider  briefly  the  inevitable  doom  of  the  finally  im- 
penitent. They  '•^shall  be  suddenly  destroyed^  and  that  without 
remedy.'''' 

All  their  earthly  pleasures  and  worldly  prospects,  upon  which 
their  hearts  are  fixed,  shall  be  blasted  and  eternally  cut  off".  All 
their  delusive  hopes  of  heaven  and  salvation  shall  be  blasted  for- 
ever. 

They  ^^shall  be  destroyed.^''  No  sooner  shall  their  measure  of 
iniquity  be  filled  to  the  brim,  and  their  cup  of  wrath  to  the  over- 
flowing, than  the  patience  of  God  shall  end.  His  vengeance 
will  sleep  no  longer.  Then  shall'  destruction  come  upon  the 
impenitent  sinner  with  rapid  strides.  As  saith  the  Lord,  "^e- 
caiise  I  have  called,  and  ye  have  refused;  I  stretched  out  my  hand^ 
and  no  man  regarded;  but  ye  have  set  at  naught  all  my  counsel^ 
and  would  none  of  my  reproof;  I  also  will  laugh  at  your  calam- 
ity; will  mock  when  your  fear  cometh  ;  when  your  fear  comethas 
desolation,  and  your  destruction  cometh  as  a  whirlwind;  when  dis- 
tress  and  anguish  cometh  upon  you.''^ 


128  THE    DANGER    OF    REJECTING,  &C. 

^^Shall  be  suddenly  destroyed^  and  that  without  remedy;''^  that 
is,  without  any  possibility  of  escape.  As  the  sinner  rejects  the 
blood  and  merits  of  the  Son  of  God,  and  refuses  to  bow  his 
neck  to  Christ,  he  rejects  the  only  hope — the  only  remedy 
which  has  been  provided  to  save  sinners. 

Then  there  is  no  more  sorrow  for  sin,  but  a  fearful  looking 
for  of  judgment  and  fiery  indignation.  He  that  despised  Mo- 
ses's law,  died  by  the  testimohy  of  two  or  three  witnesses.  Of 
how  much  soever  punishment  suppose  you  that  he  shall  be 
counted  worthy,  who  has  trodden  under  foot  the  Son  of  God, 
and  counted  the  blood  of  the  covenant  an  unholy  thing,  and  has 
done  despite  to  the  Spirit  of  all  grace.  He  shall  be  cast  into 
hell,  into  the  blackness  of  darkness,  into  the  lake  of  fire  and 
brimstone,  where  the  worm  dieth  not,  and  the  fire  is  not  quench- 
ed, but  the  smoke  of  his  torment  shall  ascend  up  forever  and 
ever. 


SERMON    XIII 


ON  THB  GENERAIi  JUDGIOnCNT. 


For  we  must  all  appear  before  the  [Judgment  Seat  of  Christ^ 
2  Corinthians  v.  10. 


This  world  is  a  place  of  probation,  in  which  to  prepare  for  a 
future  state  of  existence.  Such  as  we  are  here,  such  we  shall 
be  through  the  ceaselesss  ages  of  eternity.  All  mankind  are 
swiftly  passing  to  eternity.  Some  are  preparing,  by  the  wise 
and  unerring,  though  gentle,  hand  of  divine  gra'be,  as  vessels  fit 
for  their  '■^Father's  house.''''  These  shall  be  filled  with  pure,  un- 
bounded, and  unparalleled  glory  in  the  heavenly  state.  Others 
are  filling  themselves  as  vessels  of  wrath  for  destruction,  treas- 
uring up  for  themselves,  ^'wrath  against  the  day  of  wrath  and  re- 
velation of  the  righteous  judgment  of  God,'''' 

These  two  classes  include  the  whole  human  family — all  those 
millions  which  inhabit  this  earth.  Two  awful  events,  death  and 
judgment,  make  the  final  separation  between  them,  and  fix  their 
state  eternally  in  heaven  or  hell.  Death  and  judgment — how 
solemn,  tremendous,  and  dreadful!  Though  neglected,  and  kept 
far  from  the  thoughts  of  the  greater  part  of  mankind,  yet  they 
are  sure;  the  certain  and  unavoidable  fate  of  all.  The  Divine 
Spirit  informs  us,  that  "z7  is  appointed  unto  all  men,  once  to  die; 
for  that  all  have  sinned'''' — "iWan  that  is  born  of  a  woman,  is  of  few 
days,  and  full  of  trouble.''''  Saith  Moses, "  The  days  of  our  years 
are  three  score  years  and  ten;  and  if  by  reason  of  strength,  they  be 
four  score  years,  yet  is  their  strength  labor  and  sorroio;  for  it  is  soon 
cut  off,  and  we  fly  away.''''  Though  death  is,  of  itself,  very  sol- 
emn and  dreadful,  putting  a  period  to  man's  existence,  and  he 
is  no  more  seen  until  the  archangel's  trumpet  sounds,  it  is  what 
follows  death,  that  makes  it  so  terrible  to  the  sinner.  This  is 
judgment — the  righteous  judgment  of  God,  which  fixes  the  soul's 
state  for  all  eternity. 

19 


130  ON    THE    GENERAL    JUDGMENT. 

That  there  is  a  judgment  day  when  all  men  must  stand  be* 
fore  the  bar  of  God,  and  have  their  destinies  unalterably  lixed^ 
is  evident  from  the  plainest  Scriptural  testimony. 

Saith  the  Psalmist  of  the  Lord,  ''''He  cometh  to  judge  the  earth: 
he  shall  judge  the  zcorld  with  righteousness.'''  Paul  tells,  that  God 
^^hath  appointed  a  day  in  the  ichich  he  xdll  judge  the  world  in 
righteousness  by  that  man  Tchom  he  hath  ordained.''''  And  Jesus 
says,  "TF/ie7i  the  Son  of  Man  shall  come  in  his  glory,  and  all  the 
holy  angels  with  him,  then  shall  he  sit  upon  the  throne  of  his  glory; 
and  before. him  shall  be  gathered  all  nations.''^  And  the  text  de- 
clares, "TFe  must  all  stand  before  the  Judgment  Seat  of  Christ" 

The  great  object  of  judicial  proceedings,  is,  to  vindicate  the 
just,  and  condemn  the  wicked,  upon  pure  principles  of  law  and 
equity.  The  grand  design  of  the  general  judgment  at  the  last  day, 
is,  to  show  to  all  intelligent  creatures,  the  holiness,  justice  and 
goodness  of  God's  law  and  government  in  the  salvation  and 
eternal  happiness  of  the  righteous,  and  in  the  damnation  and 
endless  punishment  of  the  ungodly  and  finally  impenitent. 

In  farther  attending  to  this  subject,  we  shall 

I.  Mention  some  circumstances  that  will  happen  preparatory 
to  the  last  judgment. 

II.  Speak  of  the  nature  of  this  judgment. 

III.  Show  that  it  will  be  a  day  of  joy  to  the  righteous. 

IV.  That  it  will  be  a  day  of  inexpressible  anguish  and  tor- 
ment to  the  wicked. 

I.  Mention  some  circumstances  that  will  happen  preparatory 
to  the  last  judgment. 

And  1st.  We  shall  speak  of  the  coming  of  Christ  to  judg- 
ment. 

His  appearance  will  be  sudden  and  unexpected,  at  a  time  when 
the  world  least  expects  it.  Therefore,  in  Scripture,  it  is  repre- 
sented as  the  coming  of  a  thief  in  the  night.  This  awful  event 
will  happen  when  carnal  security,  hardness  of ,  heart,  and  blind 
inattention  to  spiritual  and  eternal  things  prevail  as  they  did  in 
the  days  of  Noah,  when  the  flood  came  upon  the  world  unex- 
pected and  at  once,  and  swept  fway  its  inhabitants  in  their 
wickedness;  or  as  the  Sodomites,  w^hen,  in  the  midst  of  ease 
and  plenty,  they  were  destroyed  by  a  storm  of  fire  and  brim- 
stone from  heaven.  If  the  coming  of  Christ  to  judgment,  be  an 
event  so  sudden,  how  dreadful  must  be  the  surprise  and  dismay 
of  a  slumbering  world.  While  millions  are  engaged  in  midnight 
revels  and  debaucheries,  dancing,  drinking,  gambling,  like  ten- 
fold thunders  the  trumpet  sounds  and  calls  them  thence  to  the 
righteous  judgment  of  the  great  day.  His  coming  will  be  jiub- 
lic;  he  will  be  visible  to  the  whole  universe:  '^Behold,  he  cojneth 
with  clouds,  and  every  eye  shall  see  him."  His  appearance  to 
judgment,  shall  be  august  apd  glorious  beyond  comprehension. 


ON  THE  GENERAL  JUDGMENT.  131 

N(5  circumstance  ever  took  place  through  eternity,  which  gave 
so  grand  an  exhibition  of  the  majesty  and  grandeur  of  God:  "/ 
heheld  till  the  thrones  were  cast  dowfi,  and  the  Ancient  of  days  did 
sit,  whose  garment  was  ivhite  as  snow,  and  the  hair  of  his  head 
like  the  pure  wool;  his  throne  was  like  the  Jierxj  flame,  and  his . 
wheels  as  burning  Jire.  A  Jiery  stream  issued  and  came  forth 
from  before  him;  thousand  thousands  ministered  unto  him,  and  ten 
thousand  tiines  ten  thousand  stood  before  him''"' — "TAe  Lord  him- 
self shall  descend  from  heaven  with  a  shout,  with  the  voice  of  the 
archangel  and  with  the  trump  of  God.''''  Our  Lord  himself  in- 
forms us,  that  he  will  appear  in  the  clouds  of  heaven  with  pow- 
er and  great  glory,  with  all  the  holy  angels,  and  he  shall  sit  upon 
the  throne  of  his  glory.  What  an  astonishing  change  now  takes 
place !  Men  and  devils  are  amazed  and  astonished.  Is  this  the 
babe  of  Bethlehem,  that  lay  in  a  manger,  wrapped  in  swaddling 
clothes?  Is  this  the  despised  Nazarene,  that  stood  condemned 
at  Pilate's  bar — that  was  buffeted  and  spat  upon,  and  scourged 
until  all  his  bones  might  be  counted?  Is  this  the  man  of  sor- 
rows, streaming  with  blood,  who  climbed  the  heights  of  Calva- 
ry, bearing  his  heavy  cross  upon  his  mangled,  bleeding  shoul- 
ders; who  hung  upon  the  bloody  tree  by  four  streaming  wounds; 
who  was  pierced  by  the  soldier's  spear;  who  gave  up  the  ghost, 
crying,  "It  is  finished!"  Now  he  appears  in  all  the  pomp  and 
grandeur  of  his  Godhead.  The  heavens  and  the  earth,  as  if  af- 
frighted, fly  away  from  the  dreadful  majesty  of  his  face.  The 
second  circumstance  preparatory  to  the  judgment  of  the  great 
day  which  we  shall  mention,  is,  the  general  resurrection  of  the 
dead;  of  the  just  and  unjust  of  Adam's  numerous  race.  All  that 
sleep  in  the  dust  shall  awake — some  to  everlasting  life,  and  oth- 
ers to  shame  and  everlasting  contempt.  They  that  are  in  their 
graves,  ''^shall  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God,  and  shall  come 
forth,  they  that  have  done  good  unto  the  resurrection  of  life,  and 
they  that  have  done  evil  to  the  resurrectioii  of  damnation.''''  The 
archangel's  tri'umpet  shall  sound  so  loud  that  all  heaven,  eai  th, 
and  hell  shall  hear.  The  sleeping  dead  in  Europe,  Asia,  Africa, 
and  America,  shall  awake  and  spring  into  life. 

The  God  of  Glory  sends  his  summons  forth :  * 

Calls  the  south  nations,  and  awakes  the  north; 
From  east  to  west  the  sovereign  orders  spread, 
Through  distant  worlds  and  regions  of  the  dead. 
No  more  shall  Atheists  mock  his  long  delay; 
His  vengeance  sleeps  no  more;  behold  the  day! 
Behold  the  Judge  descends;  his  guards  are  nigh — 
Tempests  and  fire  attend  him  through  the  sky ; 
Heaven,  earth  and  hell  draw  near— let  all  thing*  come, 
To  hear  my  justice,  and  the  sinner's  doom. 


132  ON  THE  GENERAL  JUDGMENT. 

Oh,  what  amazement  must  seize  the  affrighted  millions  of  Ad- 
am's race!  To  the  earth's  remotest  bound  all  is  commotion — the 
graves  are  opening — the  slumbering  nations  starting  into  life,  and 
rising  above  the  ground  where  once  stood  Ninevah,  Babylon, 
Persepolis,  Jerusalem,  Constantinople,  Rome,  London,  and  Pa- 
ris; what  multitudes  in  a  moment  spring  from  the  grave,  to  the 
islonishment  of  affrighted  beholders!  Crowds  rise  at  once  from 
the  bloody  fields  where  Alexander,  Caesar,  Pompey,  Tamerlane, 
and  Bonapc^-te  once  triumphed.  What  multitudes  come  to 
view!  All  the  myriads  of  Adam's  race,  who  have  lived  in  time, 
are  all  collected  before  the  Judgment  Seat  of  Christ,  ph,  the 
solemnity  of  the  scene !  In  all  this  immense  company,  there  is 
not  one  idle  or  unconcerned  spectator;  no  one  is  to  be  seen 
laughmg,  jesting,  or  strutting  about,  as  we  frequently  see  them 
now.  An  awfully  solemn  and  dread  solemnity  seizes  upon 
every  soul,  and  in  dismal  silence  await  their  everlasting  doom. 

II.  Speak  of  the  nature  of  this  judgment.  It  will  be  a  gene- 
ral judgment.  All  men  shall  be  judged,  both  small  and  great, 
"jlnd  /  saw  the  dead,  small  and  great,  stand  before  God,  And  be- 
fore him  shall  be  gathered  all  nations;  and  he  shall  separate  them 
one  from  another,  as  a  shepherd  divideth  his  sheep  from  his  goats,'''' 
Oh !  the  solemn — the  affecting,  and  astonishing  separation !  Pa- 
rents and  children,  and  the  nearest  and  most  tender  ties  will 
then  be  torn  in  sunder.  Fallen  angels  will  be  judged  also. — 
So  saith  the  apostle  Jude:  "JLnrf  the  angels  which  kept  not  their 
^rst  estate,  bzit  left  their  own  habitation,  he  hath  reserved  in  ever- 
lasting  chains,  under  darkness,  unto  the  judgment  of  the  great 
day."*  And  it  was  in  reference  to  the  dread  events  of  this  tre- 
mendous day,  that  the  devils  cried  out  to  our  Lord,  in  the  days 
of  his  flesh,  '^Hastthou  come  to  torment  us  before  the  time  ?''^ 

In  that  day  will  be  judged  all  the  words,  thoughts,  and  actions 
of  the  children  of  men:  ^^and  the  dead  ivere  judged  out  of  those 
thiyigs  written  in  the  books,  and  according  to  their  works.''''  In  our 
text,  we  are  told  that  "zue  must  all  appear  before  the  Judgment 
Seat  of  Christ,  that  every  one  may  receive  the  things  done  in  his 
body,  according  to  what  he  hath  done,  whether  it  be  good  or  bad.''''  ^ 
Every  conversation  and  every  word  that  has  been  spoken,  shall 
then  be  examined.  Says  our  Lord,  '•''Every  idle  word  that  men 
shall  speak,  they  shall  give  an  account  thereof  in  the  day  ofjudg- 
ment.^^  The  secret  thoughts  of  all  hearts  shall  then  pass  in  pub- 
lic review  before  the  impartial  bar  of  God:  "/n  the  day  when 
God  shall  judge  the  secrets  of  men  by  Jesus  Christ,  according  to 
my  Gospel.''^  A  solemn  and  awful  day  this,  when  judgment  shall 
be  given  upon  all  the  deeds,  words,  and  thoughts  of  mankind; 
where  every  secret  act,  idle  word,  and  every  vain  imagination, 
will  be  laid  open  to  the  public  view  of  an  assembled  universe. 


ON  THE  GENERAL  JUDGMENT,  135 

III.  Show  that  it  will  be  a  day  of  joy  to  the  righteous. 
The  seeds  of  this  joy  are  sown  in  this  hfe.  As  they  are  par- 
•doned  and  justified  by  the  word  and  atonement  of  Christ,  the 
sting  of  death  is  removed.  When  they  have  Uvely  views  of  the 
glory  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  feel  the  witness  of  God's 
Word  and  Spirit,  that  their  sins  are  pardoned,  when  by  faith  they 
can  behold  the  land  of  promise,  oh,  how  pleasant  the  thought  of 
the  last  judgment!  And  as  they  die  in  Christ,  a  foundation  is 
laid  for  a  glorious  and  happy  resurrection.  So  soon  as  the  heart 
strings  are  broken,  and  nature  expires,  as  soon  as  the  soul  and 
body  are  separated,  the  immortal  spirit  enters  a  state  of  positive 
blessedness.  But  the  lifeless  body  is  laid  in  the  grave,  and. 
sleeps  until  the  morning  of  the  resurrection.  Christ  died,  and 
lay  in  the  grave;  he  conquered  it;  he  made  it  a  pleasant  bed  of 
rest  to  his  followers.  Hence  the  Scriptures  speak  of  falling 
asleep  in  Jesus,  sleeping  in  Christ,  &c.  Says  the  apostle, "  TAem 
which  sleep  in  Jesus,  will  God  bring  with  him;''''  that  is,  their 
souls  from  heaven,  and  their  bodies  from  the  tombs;  and,  though 
parted  awhile  by  death,  they  shall  now  be  re-united.  The  resur- 
rection will  be  to  them  a  pleasing  prelude  to  the  judgment  of  the 
last  day.  For,  says  the  Spirit,  they  shall  rise  first.  Their  cor- 
ruptible bodies  will  be  raised  spiritual  and  incorruptible;  they 
shall  be  raised  in  unfading  beauty — beautiful  and  immortal  in 
the  likeness  of  Christ.  As  their  names  are  written  in  the 
Lamb's  book  of  life,  and  engraved  upon  the  palms  of  both  his 
hands,  not  one  of  them  will  be  overlooked  or  forgotten.  The 
poorest  beggar,  or  the  meanest  slave,  shall  not  be  passed  by. — 
When  the  Son  of  God  comes  in  the  clouds  of  heaven  with  pow- 
fer  and  great  glory,  "i?e  shall  send  his  angels,  with  a  great  sound 
of  a  trumpet,  and  they  shall  gather  together  his  elect  from  the  four 
winds,  from  one  end  of  the  heaven  to  another.'''' 

The  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  purchased  them  with  his  blood, 
and  ransomed  them  by  his  death,  will  own  them  before  the  as- 
sembled universe.  He  will  separate  them  from  the  wicked  as 
the  shepherd  doth  his  sheep  from  the  goats.  He  will  place  them 
on  his  right  hand  as  a  mark  of  high  honor  and  dignity,  as  a  token 
of  his  love  for  them. 

But  what  will  consummate  their  happiness,  and  raise  them  to 
the  summit  of  glory,  will  be  the  joyful  sentence,  ^^Come,  ye 
blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you  from 
the  foundation  of  the  world.'''' 

Last  of  all,  they  shall  go  away  into  everlasting  life.  They 
shall  go  home  with  Christ  to  his  Father's  house,  and  there,  as 
vessels  meet  for  the  Master's  use,  they  will  be  possessed  of  an 
inheritance,  incorruptible,  undefiled,  and  that  fadeth  not  away. 
They  shall  be  with  Christ  where  he  is,  and  shall  forever  behold 
his  glory;  and  through  all  eternity,  they  shall  taste  joys  such  as 


154  ON  THE  GENERAL  JUDGMENt. 

*'J5?ve  halh  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  neither  have  entered  into  th^. 
heart  of  man''''  to  conceive. 

IV.  It  will  be  a  day  of  inexpressible  anguish  and  torment  to 
the  wicked. 

The  ungodly  and  finally  impenitent  will  now  be  ripe  for  de- 
struction. Having  spent  all  their  lives  in  sowing  to  the  flesh, 
they  shall  now  reap  a  harvest  of  immortal  woe;  having  spent 
their  lives  in  sin,  they  will  now  receive  the  wages  thereol^ — eter- 
nal death.  How  intolerable  their  loss!  Their  day  of  grace  and 
all  hope  of  mercy  are  gone  forever.  They  lose  their  souls,  worth 
more  than  ten  thousand  worlds;  they  lose  God,  the  source  of  all 
happiness;  they  lose  Christ  and  his  salvation — heaven,  with  all 
its  unspeakable  joys;  and,  to  consummate  their  anguish  and 
make  them  vessels  capable  of  enduring  all  the  wrath  of  God, 
their  souls  and  bodies  are  re-united,  and  the  dreadful  sentence  of 
'•^Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed,  into  everlasting  Jire,  prepared  for  the 
devil  and  his  angels,^''  now  fixes  their  awful  doom.  This  is,  in- 
deed, the  solemn,  dreadful  harvest  day;  the  tares  are  separated 
from  the  wheat,  and,  bound  in  bundles,  are  cast  into  everlasting 
fire.  Oh,  how  deep,  and  large,  and  wide,  must  Tophet  be — how 
dreadfully  immense  the  pile  of  fire,  and  much  wood  I 


SERMON    XIV. 


THE  CHARACTER,  HISTORY,  AND  END  OF  THE  FOOL>. 


The  fool  hath  said  in  his  hearty  There  is  no  God, — Psalm  xiv.  1. 


Two  things  in  the  text  demand  oui*  attention: 

1st.  The  character  mentioned — the  Fool — that  is,  the  man 
who  is  destitute  of  true  wisdom,  or  the  knowledge  of  God,  and 
who  acts  an  irrational  part  in  matters  of  the  greatest  import- 
ance. 

2d.  Something  predicated  of  the  fool,  very  expressive  of  his; 
'character.  He  ^'hath  said  in  his  hearty  there  is  no  God.''''  This 
expresses  the  highest  grade  of  unbelief,  which  is  the  root  of  all 
sin,  blinds  the  mind,  hardens  the  heart,  and  sinks  the  soul  be- 
neath the  damning  weight  of  sin.  It  is  probable  the  fool  would 
disclaim  the  character  of  an  atheist;  perhaps  he  would  tell  you 
that  reason  and  the  light  of  nature,  prove  that  there  is  a  God.. 
Yet,  "Ae  says  in  his  heart.,  there  is  no  God'''' — ''''The  heart.,  or  spi- 
ritual part  of  man^  is  deceitful  above  all  things.,  and  desperately 
wicked^  so  much  so,  that  every  imagination  is  only  evil  continual- 
ly.'''' As  every  thought,  word,  and  action  of  the  fool  proceeds 
from  this  desperately  wicked  heart,  the  consequence  is,  that  the 
whole  of  his  conversation  and  conduct  is  sin.  Therefore,  his 
heart  says,  "T/?cre  is  no  God,''^  by  the  words  and  actions  that 
proceed  from  it,  for  these  constitute  the  image  of  his  mind,  and 
speak  the  language  of  his  heart. 

In  the  further  prosecution  of  this  subject,  we  shall 

I.  Delineate  the  character  of  the  fool. 

II.  Relate  his  history  and  end. 

I.  Delineate  the  character  of  the  fool. 
Perhaps  there  is  no  character  more  contemptible  than  that  of 
a  fool.  Hence  it  is  considered  an  insutTerable  insult  to  call  a 
man  a  fool.  Were  I  to  say  that  I  now  address  a  congregation 
of  fools,  or  that  I  Believe  a  majority  of  my  hearers  are  fools,  I 
expect  I  would  give  a  general  offence  to  my  audience.     To  be 


,136  THE    CHARACTER,    HrsTORY,- 

.as  modest  on  \he  subject  as  possible,  we  will  suppose  tliere  is  one 
fool  in  this  assembly;  and,  if  there  be,  he  is  an  object  of  pity; 
his  condition  is  so  wretched,  that  human  language  cannot  de- 
scribe it.  My  present  business,  then,  is  to  delineate  the  char- 
acter of  the  fool  so  plainly,  that  he  nnay  see  himself,  be  influenced 
to  apply  to  Christ,  who  is  the  essential  wisdom  of  God,  and  learn 
from  him  the  things  that  belong  to  his  eternal  peace. 

-A  fool,  then,  is  a  person  destitute  of  wisdom,  and  who,  in  all 
.  his  conduct,  acts  like  one  void  of  reason.  In  Scripture,  the  fool 
.•and  the  sinner  are  synonymous,  and  no  term  is  more  expressive 
■  of  ihe  character  of  a  Christless  sinner,  tiian  that  of  a  fool;  for, 
-•never  was  a^simpleton  more  destitute  of  common  sense,  than  the 
; Christless  sinner  is  of  the  knowledge  of  God,  and  of  that  wisdom 
which  leads  to  true  happiness  in  time  and  thi'ough  eternity.  As 
the  idiot  or  natural  fool  is  destitute  of  all  useful  knowledge,  and 
•  of  that  information  which  beautifies  the  mind  and  dignifies  man, 
:so  the  unconverted  sinner  is  totally  ignorant  of  the  moral  beau- 
ty and  excellency  of  the  attributes  of  God,  and  blind  to  the  im- 
maculate purity  of  his  holy  law,  to  the  spiritual  meaning  of  his 
Word,  and  the  infinite  evil  of  sin.  Never  was  an  idiot  a  greater 
stranger  to  the  knowledge  of  geometry,  astronomy,  and  the 
higher  grades  of  scientific  learning,  than  the  unconverted  sinner 
is  to  the  knowledge  of  God,  the  joys  of  pardoned  sin,  the  con- 
solations of  the  Holy  Ghost,  3  nd  the  believer's  hopes  of  heaven. 
Another  peculiarity  in  the  character  of  the  idiot,  is,  he  is  void  of 
■wisdom;  so  every  part  of  his  conduct  is  vain,  foolish,  and  irra- 
tional; but  this  bears  no  comparison  to  the  brutish  irrationality 
of  the  Christless  sinner.  Did  you  see  a  man  bartering  away  an 
immense  earthly  inheritance  for  an  embroidered  cap,  a  gay  fea- 
ther, or  a  fine  go-cart;  or  did  you  see  him  selling  a  crown,  a 
throne,  and  a  kingdom,  for  a  ginger-cake  or  drink  of  grog,  would 
you  not  be  convinced  that  he  was  verily  a  fool?  Or,  did  you  see 
him,  in  cool  blood,  cutting  his  own  throat,  or  driving  a  dagger 
into  his  own  heart,  would  you  not  conclude  that- he  was  a  dis- 
tracted fool?  But  all  this  falls  far  short  of  the  brutish  and  dis- 
tracted conduct  of  the  poor  Christless  sinner  who  parts  with 
heaven  and  all  its  glories  for  the  vain  pleasures  of  this  world; 
and  who,  in  spite  of  all  the  entreaties  of  the  ministers  of  the 
Gospel,  the  warnings  of  God,  and  the  motions  of  conscience, 
sells  his  soul  for  a  trifle,  and  finds  his  way  to  hell.  Did  you  see 
a  man,  in  the  season  for  preparing  his  ground  and  putting  in  his 
crop,  spending  his  precious  time  in  the  most  frivolous  amuse- 
ments, without  striking  a  single  stroke  of  work  until  the  season 
was  gone,  would  you  not  believe  that  he  was  a  fool,  and  his  con- 
duct very  irrational?  But  all  this  bears  no  comparison  to  the 
distracted  conduct  of  the  Christless  sinner,  who  trifles  away  the 
only  season  of  salvation.    >Suppose  a  prince  were  to  say  to  a 


AND    END    OF    THP    FOOL.  137 

poor  malefactor  condemned  to  die,  I  will  assign  you  a  certain 
business  for  one  hour,  and  if  you  are  industriously  engaged  du- 
ring that  hour,  and  lose  not  one  moment,  I  will  not  only  pardon 
you,  but  give  you  the  finest  inheritance  upon  the  earth.     Did 
you  see  this  poor  wretch  spending  every  moment  of  his  precious 
liour  in  the  most  frivolous  and  sinful  amusements,  such  as  fid- 
dling, dancing,  building  cob-houses,  or  catching  flies,  sporting 
with  his  fate,  and  treating  this  proposal  with  contempt — would 
you  not  conclude  that  he  was  a  madman  and  self-murderer? 
But  all  this  falls  far  short   of  the  distracted  madness  of  the 
Christless  sinner.     He  is  sent  into  this  world  to  prepare  for 
eternity;  his  life  is  but  a  dream — a  bubble,  or  a  morning  tale;  he 
knows  not  the  moment  death  will  fix  his  state  for  eternity;  in 
the  short  and  micertain  time  allotted  him,  work  of  vast  import- 
ance must  be  performed,  or  he  must  be  damned  forever.     He 
has  to  forsake  the  service  of  that  old  serpent,  the  devil,  and  en- 
list under  the  banners  of  Christ;  he  fias  the  enmity  of  his  heart 
against  God  and  holiness,  to  subdue;   his  strong  corruptions, 
ungovernable  passions  and  propensities  must  be  overcome;  he 
has  temptations  to  resist  oppositions,  persecutions  and  reproach- 
es to  endure ;  he  has  to  obtain  a  new  heai  t  and  spirit  of  Christ, 
and  a  growing  qualification  for  heaven,  without  which  he  must 
sink  forever  beneath  the  wrath  of  God,  in  a  lake  of  fire  burning 
with  brimstone,  where  the  smoke  of  his  torment  shall  ascend 
forever  and  ever.  Yet  he  will  not  attend  to  his  eternal  interest; 
he  hates  the  path  that  leads  to  true  happiness;  he  voluntarily 
rejects  eternal  life,  and  he  chooses  the  torments  of  hell  as  his 
portion  forever.     All  the  arguments  of  men  will  not  induce  him 
to  begin  the  work  of  his  soul's  salvation.     Perhaps  he  will  ac- 
knowledge the  propriety  and  necessity  of  religion,  that  he  wish- 
es to*  obtain  it,  and  would  give  the  world  to  possess  it;  but  bring 
the  matter  close  to  him — propose  to  him  now  to  flee  from  the 
wrath  to  come;  he  raises  a  multitude  of  objections,  and  brings 
forward  many  absurd  excuses ;  he  tells  you  he  has  no  disposi- 
tion to  flee  the  wrath  to  come;  therefore,  he  must  wait  until  God 
gives  it  to  him.     He  is  afraid  to  commence  seeking  religion,  lest 
he  draw  back;  for  he  has  seen  many  who  started  to  obtain  it, 
who  again  returned  to  their  former  sinful  condition,  and  it  is. 
much  better  never  to  begin,  than  to  make  a  start,  and  then  back- 
slide.    He  fears  that,  if  he  should  commence  seeking  religion, 
he  would  he  laughed  at  by  all  who  know  him.     The  cross  is 
too  heavy;  the  persecutions  of  the  world  cannot  be  endured. 
Then  his  dear  companions,  his  beloved  sins,  and  his  vain  pleas- 
ures, are  so  pleasing,  it  would  be  like  death  to  part  with  them. 
It  is  inconvenient  at  present — like  the  sluggard,  he  cries,  a  little 
more  slumber^  a  little  more  sleep — a  little  more  folding  of  the 

20 


138  THE     UHAKACTER,     HISTORY, 

hanchfor  sleep;  he  says,  1  will  put  it  oil'  till  next  year,  or  some 
more  distant  period.  Thus  he  neglects  the  salvation  of  his  soul, 
and  treats  tlie  offers  of  mercy  with  contempt.  But  he  hugs  to 
his  heart  that  poisonous  viper,  sin,  that  stings  him  to  the  inmost 
soul,  and,  with  pleasure,  he  kisses  the  dagger  that  pierces  his  soul. 
Now,  what  think  ye  of  the  Christless  sinner?  Is  he  not  verily 
a  fool  ?     But,  to  be  more  particular — 

1st.  Ho  is  a  scJf-coiiceiled  fool;  hence,  saith  the  wise  man: 
The  way  of  a  fool  is  right  in  his  own  eyes;  that  is,  he  is  too  Avise 
in  his  own  conceit,  to  be  taught  or  set  right.     The  oj^nions  of 
his  father  and  grandfather,  or  tiic  sentiments  of  some  old  carnal 
formalist,  or  some  wrong-headed   enthusiast,  to  whom  he  is 
strongly  attached,  the  j)eculiaritics  of  his  beloved  party,  or  the 
notions  of  some  old,  wealthy,  drunken  deists,  who  bear  the 
pompous  titles  of  Majors,  t^oluncls.  Generals,  Doctors,  Judges, 
or  Members  of  Congress;  these  have  infinitely  more  weight 
with  him,  than  all  that  is  written  in  the  Bible.  Hence  he  boasts 
of  his  great  information,  his  superior  and  mighty  powers  of  rea- 
son ;  when,  at  the  same  time,  in  the  view  of  reason  and  common 
sense,  he  is  an  arrant  fool;  for  he  is  afraid  of  being  convinced, 
and  he  secretly  wishes  to  be  deceived;  he  never  tries  to  invest! 
gate  the  subject,  and  impartially  examines  the  evidence  on  both 
sides  of  the  question;  but, like  -a  conjirmed  fool,  he  collects  eve- 
ry thing  like  an  argument  to  strengthen  his  delusions,  harden  his 
heart,  and  put  out  the  light  of  conscience.     The  broad  road  to 
hell  is  so  dear  and  pleasing  to  him,  that,  to  forsake  it,  would  be 
intolerable.     Therefore,  as  our  Lord  expresses  it,  "Ac  htites  the 
light;''''  he  shuns  conviction  as  he  would  death.     When,  by  the 
strength  of  argument  and  the  force  of  truth,  he  is  confounded 
and  his  mouth  closed,  he  becomes  angry;  he  spits  out  the  venom 
of  hell  as  he  substitutes  loud  laughter  for  reason.     What  is  still 
more  astonishing,  like  the  madman  who  thinks  himself  a  crown- 
ed head,  and  that  all  mankind  are  his  slaves  and  vassals,  the 
Eoor  Christless  sinner,  while  he  iTishes  along  the  broad  road  to 
ell,  tells  you,  that  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ  is  too  mean  and 
contemptible  a  thing  for  his  lofty  soul  to  embrace;  and  that, pro- 
fessing to  feel  the  love  of  God  shed  abroad  in  the  heart,  is  mere 
hypocrisy,  or  the  effect  of  enthusiasm  on  weak  minds;  but  by 
his  conduct,  he  tells  you,  that,  to  indulge  in  frothy  conversation, 
to  profane  the  Sabbath,  to  frolic  and  dance,  to  drink  like  a 
beast,  and  swear  and  curse  like  a  devil,  are  employments  wor- 
thy of  rational  and  reflecting  men,  and  that  these  things  are  al- 
ways done  by  those  who  are  truly  wise  and  great. 

2d.  He  is  a  deceitful  fool.  Solomon  tells  us,  "TAe  wisdom  of 
the  prudent  is,  to  understand  his  way,  but  the  folly  of  fools  is  de- 
ceit;''^ that  is,  they  try  to  deceive  the  world  and  themselves.  The 
fool  ia  a  base  hypocrite,  .yet  there  is  no  man  upon  earth  who 


AND    END   OF  THE    FOOL.  139 

cries  out  more  vehemently  against  hypocrites;  but  all  the  time 
it  is  not  hypocrisy  he  hates,  but  experimental  relioion  and  prac- 
tical holiness.  As  the  persecuting  Romans  of  old  dressed  up 
the  Christian  martyrs  in  the  skins  of  wild  beasts,  that  they  might 
be  torn  to  pieces  by  dogs,  so  the  fool  dresses  holiness  and  the 
fear  of  God  in  the  filthy  garment  of  hypocrisy,  that  the  dogs  of 
hell  may  join  with  him  to  tear  them  to  pieces;  yet,  as  was  ob- 
served, he  is  a  base  hypocrite,  for  he  strives  to  make  the  world 
believe  that  he  is  a  man  of  great  rational  powers,  and  possessed 
of  a  very  strong  mind,  when,  at  the  same  time,  in  matters  of  the 
greatest*^nportance,  that  is,  in  the  alfairs  of  his  soul's  salvation, 
he  acts  with  worse  than  brutish  irrationality;  he  wishes  men  to 
believe  that  he  is  a  person  of  strict  honesty,  truth  and  honor, 
yet  he  often  takes  advantage  of  the  ignorance  or  necessity  of 
his  neighbor,  and  purchases  ]iroperty  for  half  price,  or  sells  his 
own  at  double  its  value.  The  fool  not  only  deceives  others, 
but  also  deceives  himself,  for  he  builds  his  hopes  of  heaven  upon 
the  supposed  goodness  of  his  heart,  his  pretended  morality,  his 
charitable  actions, his  partial  reformations,  or  his  transient  joys; 
but  that  which  renders  his  deception  most  fatal,  is,  that  the  fool 
wishes  to  be  deceived.    . 

3d.  Another  property  of  the  fool  is,  that  he  makes  a  mock  at 
sin;  that  is,  he  thinks  it  an  innocent,  pleasing  thing.  Tell  him 
of  its  infinite  evil,  how  filthy  and  abominable  it  appears  in  the 
sight  of  God;  tell  him  that  it  ruins  the  souls  of  men,  and  brings 
upon  them  all. the  torments  of  hell — the  fool  will  laugh  you  to 
scorn;  he  will  mock  at  all  you  say  concerning  the  dreadful 
consequences  of  sin,  and  contend  there  is  no  harm  in  it. 

4th.  Another  property  of  the  fool,  is,  that  he  hates  know- 
ledge. ^val\\^o\on\o\\:  ■''•Foohhateknoioledge.''''  Again:  '•'-Fools 
despise  ivisdom  and  insii'uctum.'''  God  has  placed  in  the  hands  of 
the  fool  that  most  valuable  oi'  books,  the  Bible.  Prom  this  pre- 
cious volume  men  may  obtain  the  knowledge  of  God  and  his 
Son  Jesus  Christ;  here  men  may  learn  that  wisdom  which  will 
lead  them  to  endless  hap})iness :  but  this  book  the  fool  detests,  at 
least, he  hasiio  desire  to  read  it;  he  would  be  much  more  pleas- 
ed with  gome  silly. novel  or  wild  romance;  these  he  delights  to 
read;  but  his  Bible,  if  he  has  one,  lies  neglected  in  some  obscure 
corner  of  his  house.  .     ,  | 

The  Sovereign  of  the  Universe  has  appointed  one  day  in  se- 
ven to  be  particularly  devoted  to  the  acquisition  of  the  know- 
ledge of  God;  but  the  fool  hates  God,  he,  has  no  desire  to  know 
him,  and  instruction  and  wisdom,  he. Jiespises;  therefore,  he 
spends  the  Sabbath  in  slumb'cring,  visiting  his  neighbors,  walk- 
ing round  his  farm,  oi'  in  vain  and  wtorldly  conversation ;  per- 
haps he  never  opens  his  Bible,  or  if  he  does,  he  is  )\ot  at  all  in- 
terested with  its  contents,  and  when  he  has  ha-itily  perused  a 


140  THE    CHARACTER,  HISTORY, 

chapter,  he  closes  the  book,  rejoicing  that  he  has  got  rid  of  his 
irksome  task ;  he  never  bows  his  knee  before  God,  either  in  se- 
cret or  in  his  family;  and  perhaps  he  strives  to  banish  from  his 
mind  all  serious  thoughts  of  God,  death,  judgment,  and  eternity. 
As  the  fool  hates  instruction  and  wisdom,  so  he  cannot  bear  the 
company  and  conversation  of  experimental  and  lively  Christ- 
ians. The  conversation  of  such  persons  is  intolerable ;  for  it  is 
contrary  to  his  nature ;  it  stings  his  conscience,  and  disturbs  his 
carnal  peace;  therefore,  he  does  what  he  canto  avoid  it;  he 
hates  and  shuns  the  faithful  minister  or  religious  friend,  who, 
with  tears  in  his  eyes,  shows  him  his  danger,  and  entreiftfe  him  to 
fly  to  Christ.  In  a  word,  his  chief  happiness  consists  in  the 
darkness  of  ignorance,  and  in  living  n  t  the  greatest  possible  dis- 
tance from  God  and  all  that  bear  his  image. 

5th.  Another  property  of  the  fool  is,  that  he  is  obstinate  and  ■ 
incorrigible.  Says  the  wise  man,  ^'•Though  thou  shouldst  bray  a 
fool  in  a  mortar  among  wheat  with  a  pestle^  yet  will  not  his  foolish- 
ness depmt  from  him.''''  These  words  may  refer  to  all  the  meth- 
ods the  Lord  uses  to  awaken  sinners,  and  persuade  them  to  flee 
the  wrath  to  come;  therefore,  they  include  all  the  entieatiesof 
the  ministers  of  the  Gospel,  and  all  the  motions  and  drawings 
of  the  Holy  Spirit;  at  the  same  time,  they  represent  the  obstina- 
cy, wickedness,  and  incorrigible  rebellion  of  the  sinner  against 
God.  Sabbath  after  Sabbath,  and  year  after  year,  the  Lord 
calls  the  fool  to  repentance;  Christ  knocks  at  his  heart,  and  sal- 
vation comes  near  unto  him;  but  he  refuses  to  submit;  the 
world  and  its  pleasures  so  possess  his  heart,  that  he  will  rather 
risk  all  the  torments  of  hell  than  part  with  thera;  sometimes, 
like  Ahab,  he  humbles  himself  for  a  time,  and  walks  softly;  but 
he  soon  resists  the  light,  and  returns  to  sin.  Again,  like  Felix, 
he  is  made  to  tremble  under  the  awful  apprehensions  ojf  the 
wrath  of  God;  but  he  puts  oft'  seeking  the  salvation  of  his  soul 
till  a  more  convenient  season.  Again,  like  Agrippa,  he  is  almost 
persuaded  to  become  a  Christian,  but  some  beloved  sin  keeps 
the  Lord  Jesus  from  possessing  his  heart.  When  the  more  gen- 
tle calls  of  divine  mercy  prove  ineffectual,  the  Lord  bruises  him 
in  the  mortar  of  affliction.  By  losses,  diseases,  and  alarming 
dispensations  of  Providence,  he  is  called  to  repent  and  flee  the 
wrath  to  come,  but  still  his  foolishness  will  not  depart  from  him. 
When  he  feels  the  hand  of  God  heavy  upon  him;  when  he  is 
confined  to  a  sick  bed,  and  death  and  eternity  stare  him  in  the 
face,  like  Pharaoh,  he  promises  amendment,  and  pleads  with  Uie 
people  of  God  to  pray  for  him;  but  no  sooner  is  affliction  with- 
drawn, than,  Pharaoh-like,  his  heart  becomes  more  hardened 
than  before,  until,  at  last,  by  repeated  acts  of  obstinacy  and  re- 
bellion, the  Spirit  of  God  is  provoked  to  withdraw;  his  heart 


ANP   ENP   OF  THK    FOOL.        -  141 

grows  hard  like  the  nether  millstone;  his  conscience  is  seared 
as  with  a  hot  iron,  and  his  damnation  is  sealed. 

6th.  Another  trait  in  the  charactcl;  of  the  fool  is,  he  is  a  ^rac- 
tical  atheist.  ''^The  fool  hath  said  in  his  hearty  there  is  no  God.'''* 
Take  notice.  The  fool  does  not  say  with  his  tongue,  There  is 
no  God.  No:  he  hath  said  in  his  heart.  He  will  tell  you  his  un- 
erring reason  teaches  him  there  is  a  God;  that  this  is  proved  by 
the  light  of  nature  and  the  works  of  creation;  yet,  he  hath  said 
in  his  hearts-there  is  no  God;  Ids  heart  is  deceitful  above  all  things 
and  desperately  wicked;  all  his  actions  proceed  from  this  deceit- 
ful and  wicked  heart;  they  speak  its  genuine  language — and  that 
is,  ''''There  is  no  God,''^  and  this  will  be  clearly  proved  ;by  these 
considerations : 

1st.  God  has  revealed  himself  in  the  Bible,  as  a  holy,  just,  and 
sin-hating  God;  he  has  declared  that  the  ivages  of  sin  is  death; 
that  anger  and  wrath,  tribulation  and  anguish,  is  what  attends 
upon  every  soul  that  docth  evil;  that  the  eternal  plagues  of  hell 
is  the  consequence  of  sin.  But  does  the  fool  believe  these  de- 
clarations? Let  his  conduct  testify;  and  its  language  is — There 
is  no  siich  God;  for  he  drinks  in  iniquity  like  waters;  he  pro- 
fanes the  Sabbath;  he  lies,  cheats,  swears  and  drinks  to  excess; 
he  indulges  in  obscene  discourse,  in  revelling,  rioting,  dancing, 
and  in  many  acts  of  daring  wickedness.  Now  did  the  fool  firmly 
believe  that  such  conduct  is  as  inseparably  connected  with  the 
torments  of  hell  as  the  cause  is  with  the  effect,  he  would  not  dare 
to  indulge  himself  in  the  love  and  practice  of  them;  there- 
fore, it  follows  that,'  by  this  conduct,  his  heart  says:  There  is  no 
God. 

2d.  God  has  declared,  that  except  a  man  he  born  again,  he  can- 
not see  the  kingdom  of  God;  and  that  without  holiness,  no  man 
shall  see  the  Lord;  that  he  that  belicveth  not,  shall  be  damned. — 
Does  the  fool  believe  these  declarations?  No;  for, by  his  care- 
less, profane,  and  sinful  conduct,  he  declares  that  God  is  a  liar; 
he  makes  a  mock  at  sin;  he  jests  at  religion;  he  stifles  his  con- 
victions and  quenches  the  motions  of  the  Holy  Spirit;  indeed, 
the  whole  tenor  of  his  conduct  declares  that  his  heart  says.  There 
is  no  God. 

But,  to  finish  our  description  of  the  fool.  His  whole  heart  is, 
enmity  against  God,  and  his  whole  nature  is  sin ;  from  the  crown 
of  his  head  to  the  soles  of  his  feet  there  is  no  soundness,  but  wounds, 
bruises,  and  putrifying  sores. 

He  is  a  fool,  in  the  highest  sense  of  the  word;  for  he  is  desti- 
tute of  the  knowledge  of  the  nature  and  attributes  of' God; 
"Aw  understanding  is  darkened,  being  alienated  from  the  life  of 
God,  through  the  ignorance  that  is  in  him,  because  of  the  blindness 
of  his  heart,''''  and  Hhe  God  of  this  world  has  blinded  his  mind, 
lest  the  glorious  light  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ  should  shine  unto 


■142  THE     CHARACTER,    HISTORY, 

his  heart.''''  His  affections  arc  alienated  from  God,  and  set  upon 
inferior  objects;  therefore,  he  is  said  to  be  "«  lover  of  pleasure 
more  than  a  lover  of  God.''\ 

His  memory  is  treacherous  as  a  riddle  that  lets  the  precious 
grain  run  through,  but  easily  retains  the  trash.  In  a  word,  his 
heart,  which,  in  Scripture,  signifies  his  soul,  is  a  sink  of  wicked- 
ness, the  very  image  of  that  old  serpent,  the  devil.  "//;  is  de- 
ceitful above  all  things^  and  desperately  zvicked,  who  can  know  it?^^ 
and  Christ  declares,  that  out  of  it  proceed  ^-evil  thoughts,  adul- 
teries, fornication,  murders,  thefts,  coveteousness,  wiekedness,  deceit, 
lasciviousness,  an  evil  eye,  blasphemy, pride,  foolishness.^^  There- 
fore, th& -fool's  heart  is  termed,  a?i  uncircumcised  lieart — a  hard 
heart — a  stony  heart — a  froward  heart — a  heart  dejKirting  from 
God — a  backsliding  lieart — a  proud  heart — a  lieart  fill  of,  hypoc- 
risy. This  is  the  description  given  in  Scripture  of  the  heart  or 
soul  of  the  fool.  Say,  does  it  not  strongly  resemble  the  devil? 
Nov\%  view  his  body  or  fleshy  part,  as  it  is  acted  upon  by  this  to- 
tally depraved  soul,  and  reason  must  acknowledge  that  it  can 
act  upon  no  higher  principle  than  that  of  the  brute.  Its  high- 
est object,  then,  is  the  gratification  of  its  appetites  and  propen- 
sities. Therefore,  it  follows  as  an  unquestionable  truth,  that  the 
fool  is  a  compound  being,  consisting  of  the  brutal  and  infernal 
nature.     In  a  word,  he  is  half  beast,  half  devil. 

After  having  given  this  description  of  the  fool,  some  may  be 
disposed  to  conclude  that  he  is  altogether  a  prayerless  creatui'e. 
This,  however,  is  a  mistake.  He  is  a  praying  fool^  he  prays 
morning  and  evening,  day  and  night.  In  a' word,  he  is  always 
praying.  We  will  conclude  our  description  of  the  fool,  with  a 
SPECIMEN  of  his  constant  prayer;  and  the  desires  of  his  heart 
habitually  run  out  in  such  language  as  this:  '■  O,  Lord,  give  me 
all  my  portion  in  this  life,  let  me  have  my  heaven  here;  I  ask 
not  thy  love  and  favor;  I  desire  not  the  knowledge  of  thee;  I 
do  not  pray  to  be  saved  from  sin;  but  do 'thou  grant  that  I  may- 
be rich,  wealthy,  prosperous,  and  great;  take  thy  Holy  Spirit 
altogether  from  me,  keep  death  and  eternity  out  of  my  view. — 
Let  my  conscience  be  seared  as  with  a  hot  iron,  that  I  may  en- 
joy all  the  pleasure  sin  can  afford.  Ilove  sin;'  1  kn^c  the  indul- 
gence of  my  carnal  appetites;  I  am  (lelightecl  with  the  road  to 
hell.  Oh,  Lord, let  me  go  to  hell,  and  this  is  all  I  desire  at  thy 
hand.     Amen! 

11.  Relate  the  history  and  end  of  the  fool.  He  was  born  a 
fool ;  "Ac  was  'shapen  in  inupdty,  'conceived,  in  sin,  and  horn  like  a 
wild  (tiss\t  coltf  he  came  into  the-  ■W'orld  destilate  of  the  moral 
image  of  God,  which  consists  in  knowledge,  nghteousness  and 
true  holiness;  he  was  born  in  the  very  image  and  likeness  of 
that  old  serpent,  the  devil.  As  soon  as  he  was  capable  of  ex- 
ercising his  powers  of  reason*  he  ir'u\'c  clear  evidence  tliat  he 


AND    END    OF  THE    F66L.  143 

was  a  tool;  lor  it  was  evident  to  every  discerning  person'  that 
he  was  ignorant  of  God  and  his  Son  Jesus  Christ;  'therefore, 
he  had  no  communion  with  God;  he  had  no  desire  to  be  ac- 
quainted with  him,  nor  to  prepare  for  death  and  eternity.  At  a 
very  early  period,  he  manifested  an  obstinate  and  rebellious 
disposition.  Fretfulness,  discontent,  anger,  revenge,  self-will,, 
disobedience,  and  a  total  inattention  to  religion,  discovered 
.themselves  in  his  early  life;  as  he  grew  up,  with  the  greatest  fa- 
cility, and  in  opposition  to  all  admonitions,  he  learned  to  sing 
vain  songs,  to  use  obscene  language,  to  sweai**,  to  violate  the 
Sabbath,  and  to  perform  many  misphievous  tricks.  It  was  al- 
most impossible  to  constrain  him  .to  read  the  Scriptures,  or  to 
pay  the  smallest 'attention  to  the  things  of  God  and  religion. 
In  short,  the  more  he  was  entreated  to  attend  to  the  affairs  of 
his  soul,  the  more  clearly  did  his  opposition  to  them  appear. — 
When  he  arrived  at  the  years  of  maturity,  his  chief  desire  was 
respectability;  but,  like  a  fool,  he  took  the  wi'ong  method  to  ob- 
tain it;  he  decked  his  dying  body  in  the  habiliments  of  gaiety 
and  extravagance,  while  his  soul  remained  black -and  deformed 
like  the  devil,  and  polluted  with  the  filth  of  sin.  To  add  to  his 
respectability,  he  selected  companions;  but,  alas!  he  made  a 
fool's  choice;  he  associated  with  those  who  would  lead  him  fur- 
ther from  God  and  on  the  way  td  hell;  the  gay,  the  thoughtless, 
and  the  profane,  were  his  bosom  companions.  In  order  to  at- 
tain to  as  much  importance  as  possible  among  his  associates,  he 
had  to  learn  various  popular,  scientific  branches.  Thus  he  had 
to  learn  to  drink,  swear,  dance,  fight,  and  take  the  name  of  God 
in  vain.  In  short,  to  use  a  phrase  of  his  own,  he  had  to  become 
very  much  of  a  devil. 

In  order  to  become  popular,  and  enjoy  as  much  of  the  pleas- 
ure of  sin  as  possible,  he  attended  every  frolic  and  dance  within 
his  reach;-  indeed,  he  was  continually  employed  in  passing  from 
one  scene  of  dissipation  and  extravagance  to  another.  How- 
ever, he  met  with  many  interruptions  iii  his  wild,  career;  for 
conscience,  like  a  common  disturber  of  the  peace,  gave  him 
much  uneasiness,  and  repeatedly  told  him,  the  end  "0/  these 
things  is  death.''''  The  Holy  Spirit  whispered,  "O  do  not  that  abo- 
minable thing.''''  These  warnings  often  created  uneasiness,  and 
put  him  to  an  awful  stand;  then  it  seemed  as  if  heaven  and 
hell  were  striving  for  him.  Sometimes  he  was  constrained  to 
pray  in  secret,  and  resolve  that  he  would  repent  and  forsaike  . 
sin.  But  the  thought  of  forsaking  the  pleasures  of  sin  and  his 
companions  in  wickedness,  was  too  intolerable  to  be  endured; 
and  he  was  brought  to  his  wits'  end  to  devise  means  by  which 
he  might  stifle  conviction  and  lay  his  conscience  into  a  dead 
sleep.  We  shall,  therefore,. notice  the  manner  by  which  this 
dreadful  object  was  accomplished. 


'W 


144  THE    CHARACTER,     HISTORY, 

And  the  first  thing  he  did,  was,  to  make  out  a  large  list  of  hy- 
pocrites; he  strictly  watched  the  conduct  of  professors  of  reli- 
gion, that  he  might  find  out  their  faults  and  misgivings;  he 
discovered  tli^t  such  a  one,  who  prayed  in  his  family,  and  whom 
he  had  frequently  seen  at  a  communion  table,  had  been  discov- 
ered somewhat  intoxicated;  therefore,  he  entered  this  professor 
on  his  list;  a  second  had  taken  advantage  of  his  neighbor  in  a 
bargain;  a  third  had  been  seen  in  a  passion  and  using  unbecom- 
ing language.  These,  with  many  more  of  the  same  description, 
he  enrols  with  the  first.  These  discoveries  afibrded  him  much 
satisfaction,  and  with  a  smiling  countenance  and  taunting  sneer, 
he  would  relate  the  circumstances  in  every  company,  and  often 
intimated  that  all  professors  were  hypocrites^  and  that  the  re- 
ligion of  Jesus  was  a  deception.  This  list  served  on  all  occa- 
sions as  a  plaster  to  his  troubled  conscience ;  and  he  endeavor- 
ed to  believe  that  it  was  unnecessary  for  Kim  to  seek  religion,  as 
there  was  no  reality  in  it. 

Still,  however,  in  his  sober  moments,  his  conscience  would  an- 
noy him,  and  'disturb  his  carnal  peace,  by  reminding  him  of  the 
necessity  of  seeking  and  obtaining  religion;  then  he  would  try 
to  silence  conscience  by  the  following  mode  of  reasoning:  Why, 
said  he,  none  of  the  younger  class  of  respectable  persons  make 
any  profession  of  religion;  therefore,  were  I  to  be  concerned 
about  it,  I  would  become  quite  unpopular,  and  sink  into  con- 
tempt.    Were  I  to  attempt  to  serve  God,  I  would  be  hissed  at, 
and  sneered  out  of  all  genteel  society.  Then  he  would  go  to  the 
tavern,  and,  in  company  with  his  wicked  companions,  he  would 
laugh,  and  drink,  and  sing,  and  swear,  for  the  purpose  of  driving 
away  his  convictions,  and  that  he  might  become  confirmed  in 
his  determinations  to  go  on  in  sin,  he  would  go  to  the  .ball-room, 
-and  there  try  to  drive  away  all  serious  thoughts,  by'  sporting  and 
'  dancing.     By  such  struggles  as  these,  the  fool  often  -found  the 
the  way  to  hell  a  hard  and  difficult  way ;  sometimes  when  un- 
der a  sermon,  the  fool  has  heard  his  case  so  exactly  described, 
that  he  has  seen  plainly  that  death  and  hell  would  be  the  end 
of  his  career;  then  his  conscience  would  alarm  him;  but,  as  he 
thought  it  as  disgraceful  to  be  seriously  engaged  in  making  his 
peace  with  God,  as  to  be  found  stealing,  therefore,  he  would 
strive  to  look  round  the  congregation  with  the  countenance  of 
a  hero,  and  appear  as  careless  and  undaunted  as  possible;  and 
when  conviction  would  seize,  his  heart  with  greater  force,  and 
no  other  effort  would  avail,  he  would  rise  up,  leave  the  house, 
and  get  out  of  hearing  as  quickly  as  possible.  If  a  faithful  min- 
ister, or  zealous  Christian  friend,  would  at  any  time  persuade 
the  fool  to  flee  the  wrath  to  come,  he  would  answer  with  a  sneer 
or  laugh,  treat  all  they  said  with  contem.pt,  and  if  they  would 
repeatedly  converse  with  him  on  this  subject,  he  would  become 


AND    END    OF  THE    FOOI:.  145 

angry,  and  insult  them  with  such  language  as  the  following: 
Give  yourself  no  concern  about  me ;  if  I  go  to  hell  it  is  no  man's 
business;  mind  yourself;  give  me  none  of  your  jaw. 

When  the  poor,  unhappy  fool,  would  meet  with  his  compan- 
ions in  sin,  he  would  drink  until  he  became  basely  intoxicated; 
then  he  would  curse  and  blaspheme  like  an  infernal  fiend;  he 
would  get  into  wi\d  riots,  quarrel  and  fight,  and  sometimes  get 
his  eyes  blackened.  When  he  came  home,  and  began  to  cool 
off',  as  he  called  it,  he  would  feel  sick,  and  his  body  miserably 
disordered,  then  he  would  calculate  his  expenses,  and  bitterly  re- 
gret his  extravagance,  for  the  money  he  had  gained  by  his  hon- 
est industry,  and  which  should  have  been  laid  out  for  necessary 
purposes,  M-as  wasted  and  gone,  his  debts  unpaid  and  heavy  de- 
mands hanging  over  him ;  but,  what  was  worse  than  all,  his  con- 
science, like  the  never-dying  worm  of  hell,  gnawed  and  stung 
him  like  a  poisonous  viper,  and  his  bitter  reflections  were  intole- 
rable. Now,  he  would  solemnly  promise  to  God  that  he  would 
reform  his  life,  withdraw  from  his  wicked  companions,  and  no 
more  touch  the  intoxicating  poison.  For  a  few  weeks  you  would 
suppose  that  he  was  about  to  alter  his  course,  and  he  appeared 
quite  another  man;  but,  upon  a  certain  public  day,  he  fell  in 
with  his  former  companions  in  sin.  They  handed  to  him  the  in- 
toxicating cup.  Said  the  fool  secretly,  I  may  take  one  dram  in 
moderation;  there  can  be  no  danger  in  that.  He  took  the  glass; 
he  drank;  he  sat  down  and  joined  them  in  their  vain  conversa- 
tion; the  liquor  went  round,  his  conscience  recoiled;  his  former 
resolutions  stared  him  in  the  face.  O,  said  his  sinful  companions, 
be  a  good  fellow,  don't  be  a  whining  hypocrite;  if  you  are  so 
reserved,  people  will  say  you  are  going  to  be  religious;  there  is 
no  harm  in  drinking  in  moderation,  if  a  person  do  not  make  a 
beast  of  himself.  Then  the  fool  in  spite  of  all  the  eftorts  of  con- 
science drank  again.  By  this  time,  he  felt  his  blood  warmed  and 
his  appetite  inflamed,  and  he  went  at  itJike  a  confirmed  fool,  and 
swallowed  it  down,  draught  after  draught. 

When  he  cooled  off'  again,  the  bitter  reflection  of  his  consci- 
ence was  like  a  hell  upon  earth,  and  he  felt  miserable  beyond 
description.  When  he  thought  of  his  former  resolutions  and 
the  promises  he  made  to  God,  which  he  had  broken,  he  felt 
ashamed  and  mortified,  and  he  determined  never  to  make  ano- 
ther resolution;  then  off  he  went  to  the  tavern  and  bottle,  and 
in  company  with  his  sinful  associates,  time  after  time,  he  tried  to 
drink,  and  laugh,  and  dance,  and  swear  away  all  solemn  reflec- 
tions about  God  and  a  future  state.  On  a  certain  occasion,  the 
fool  took  dangerously  ill;  he  was  laid  upon  a  sick  bed;  his  dis- 
ease increased,  and  seemed  to  baffle  the  power  of  medicine;  his 
physician  despaired  of  curing  him,  and  his  friends  expressed 
their  fears  that  his  case  was  hopeless;  death  stare'-^  him  in  the 

21 


146  IHE    CHARACTER,    lIlSTORi', 

face,  and  conscience  again  awoke  and  placed  all  his  snis  before 
him;  the  wrath  of  God  and  the  horrors  of  hell  affrighted  him. 
Now,  he  acknowledged  himself  a  fool,  and  with  bitterness  of 
soul  lamented  his  ungodly  life,  misspent  seasons  of  grace,  and 
stifled  convictions;  he  prayed  and  cried  for  mercy;  then  the 
language  of  his  heart  was,0,  that  God  would  spare  me  for  a  few 
days  or  years  longer.  I  would  forsake  all  my  wicked  compan- 
ions and  ungodly  practices;  I  would  diligently  attend  to  the 
means  of  grace;  1  would  keep  every  Sabbath  holy  to  the  Lord; 
I  would  regularly  attend  the  preaching  of  the  word,  and  hear 
as  for  eternity;  and  I  would  give  myself  no  rest  until  my  peace 
were  made  with  God.  Then  eternity  and  eternal  things  em- 
ployed his  mind  from  day  to  day,  until  relieved  of  his  disorder; 
but,  as  soon  as  flattering  hopes  of  recovery  took  place,  his  con- 
victions began  to  subside;  as  his  health  and  bodily  strength  in- 
creased, his  serious  attention  to  the  work  of  his  soul's  salvation 
decreased;  when  he  was  restored  to  iiis  health,  his  heart  became 
harder  than  before,  and  he  returned  to  his  old  sins,  as  Hhe  dog 
to  his  vomit.,  or  the  sow,  that  ivas  washed,  to  her  icaJloxving  in  the 
mire,''^ 

The  poor,  unhappy  fool,  to  quiet  conscience,  repeatedly  pro- 
mised that,  at  some  future  period,  he  would  repent  of  his  sins 
and  seek  religion,  and  as  often  left  his  promises  unperformed. — 
At  length,  he  became  acquainted  with  a  profane,  drunken  prof- 
ligate, who  was  a  man  of  wealth,  and  bore  the  pompous  title  of 
Major,  Colonel,  Judge,  or  General;  but  he  was  a  hater  of  God 
and  religion.  This  contemptible  sinner  hinted  to  the  fool  that 
the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ  was  a  mere  deception;  that  the  Bi- 
ble was  a  cheat,  the  fabrication  of  designing  men;  that  there 
was  no  future  state,  nor  general  judgment;  and  that  men  had 
not,  after  death,  to  give  an  account  of  the  deeds  done  in  the 
body.  He  furnished  him  with  Paine's  Age  of  Reason,  and  the 
works  of  Volney,  Voltaire,  and  Bolingbroke.  This  confirmed 
him  a  fool,  for  infidelity  put  the  cap-stone  upon  his  folly.  Now, 
he  shouted  victory,  and  he  vievv'edall  the  etforts  of  reason,  con- 
science, and  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ,  as  incapable  of  dis- 
turbing his  peace,  and  all  the  admonitions,  reproofs,  and  entrea- 
ties of  religious  friends,  as  lost  when  addressed  to  him.  Then 
the  fool  could  tell  what  wonders  his  unerring  reason  had  disco- 
vered; he  had  found  out  that  the  Bible  was  a  deception,  when 
he  had  never  read  it  thro'  once  in  the  course  of  his  life,  and  knew 
little  more  of  its  contents  than  a  Shawnee  or  Choctaw.  If  a  per 
son  asked  him  for  the  evidences  of  the  truth  of  the  system  on 
which  he  is  venturing  into  eternity,  he  would  reply  that  he  had 
incon-testible  evidence.  And  what  was  it?  All  the  halt-read  fops, 
who  never  made  the  Bible  their  study;  Doctors,  Majors,  Colo- 
nels, Generals,  Judges,  and  Members  of  Congress,  were  deists. 


AND  END    OF    THK    FOOL.  147 

If  he  were  asked  for  his  unanswerable  arguments,  by  wliichhe 
supported  his  system,  he  would  say  that  he  had  them  at  com- 
mand. And  what  were  they?  Prof ane.  witticisms^  sneers,  jests 
at  sacred  things,  and  extravagant,  loud  laughter. 

Time  would  fail  to  dwell  upon  particulars.  View  the  fool  thro' 
every  stage  of  his  life,  unless  at  some  solemn  seasons  when  the 
Spirit  of  God  was  powerfully  striving  with  him,  and  you  would 
see  nothing  but  the  symptoms  of  extreme  folly  about  him.  Did 
he  happen  in  company  with  some  lively  experimental  Christians, 
whose  conversation  was  altogether  of  Christ,  heaven,  and  the 
life  of  religion;  he  was  miserable  beyond  description;  such  con- 
versation was  contrary  to  his  vile,  depraved  nature;  therefore, 
presently  he  was  up  and  gone.  If  a  faithful  minister,  or  pious 
Christian  conversed  with  him  about  the  state  of  his  soul,  he 
would  give  no  answer;  but  he  would  appear  confused  and  look 
angry;  urge  him  upon  the  subject,  and  he  would  be  highly  offend- 
ed and  show  the  most  daring  impudence;  if  he  answered  what 
was  said  to  him,  it  was  with  insolence  and  contem.pt.  See  him 
on  the  Sabbath;  like  the  sluggard,  he  is  stretched  on  his  bed, 
sleeping  away  the  precious  season'of  grace.  Let  him  rise  ever 
so  early  during  the  week,  the  Sabbath  morning  was  the  fool's 
time  to  sleep.  Perhaps  breakfast  is  nearly  ready  to  go  on  the 
table  before  he  is  disposed  to  rise.  See  him  during  the  course  of 
the  day;  if  he  is  reading,  it  is  not  the  Bible,  nor  a  religious 
book,  but  a  history,  a  novel,  or  newspaper;  notice  his  conversa- 
tion on  this  holy  day,  he  has  not  a  word  to  say  about  the  great 
concerns  of  his  soul.  No,  he  speaks  of  the  world,  and  the  things 
of  it.  See  him  at  the  place  of  worship;  he  is  like  a  fish  out  of 
water;  every  thing  is  contrary  to  his  nature;  to  sit  out  a  sermon 
is  like  Algerine  bondage.  Sometimes  you  see  him  in  one  part 
of  the  assembly;  in  less  than  ten  minutes,  he  is  in  another  place. 
Presently  look  about  you  again,  and  he  is  up  and  gone;  he  is  at 
the  spring,  or  conversing  with  some  of  his  ungodly  companions 
on  the  most  sinful  and  profane  subjects.  See,  during  a  sacra- 
mental occasion — every  day,  if  he  is  about — you  will  see  him 
on  the  outside,  sitting  away  off  at  a  distance  on  a  log,  or  stand- 
ing at  the  foot  of  a  tree  with  some  profane  ruffians,  with  his  hat 
on,  talking  and  laughing.  If  the  Spirit  of  God  visit  the  as- 
sembly with  a  heavenly  breeze,  and  some  happy  souls,  filled 
with  the  love  of  God,  are  constrained  to  praise  and  glorify  him ; 
or  if  poor  awakened  sinners  are  constrained  to  cry  for  mercy, 
presently  you  may  see  the  fool  climbing  a  tree  or  springing  upon 
some  high  log,  stretching  his  neck,  straining  his  eyes,  and  gazing 
with  a  grin  of  contempt,  displaying  the  malice  and  enmity  of  a 
devil.  The  fifteenth  day  of  December,  1811,  was  a  Sabbath 
the  fool  profaned  as  much,  and  upon  which  he  committed  as 
much  sin  as  on  any  Sabbath  he  had  ever  seen.     The  fool  can 


148  THE    CHARACTEH,     HISTORY, 

remember  it  himself;  lie  was  remarkably  hardened,  vain,  fool- 
ish, and  wicked  on  that  day;  he  lay  down  that  night  as  prayer- 
less  and  hardened  as  a  devil ;  but  about  the  hour  of  two  next 
morning  something  transpired  that,  for  the  m.oment,  brought  him 
to  his  senses.  The  earth  began  to  shake.  It  was  to  the  fool 
like  the  midnight  cry  of  Egypt;  it  bore  some  resemblance  to 
the  sounding  of  the  archangel's  trumpet.  On  that  morning,  on 
the  twenty-third  of  January,  and  on  the  seventh  of  February, 
the  heart  of  the  fool  was  obliged  to  confess  there  was  a  God, 
and  a  terrible  God;  he  was  convinced  it  was  a  dreadful  thing 
to  fall  into,  the  hands  of  an  angry  God ;  then  he  saw  God  frown- 
ing, hell  gaping,  and  storms  of  vengeance  ready  to  burst  upo-n 
his  guilty  soul.  For  a  time  he  prayed  and  cried  for  mercy;  he 
attended  u{)on  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  every  opportunity, 
by  day  and  night;  and,  for  a  time,  like  Saul,  he  appeared  to  be 
quite  another  man.  Bat,  alas!  he  was  never  a  new  man;  for, 
like  Lot's  wife,  he  looked  back  to  Sodom;  he  longed  after  his 
old  sins,  and  presently  the  shaking  of  the  earth,  like  the  preach- 
in  ^  of  the  Gospel,  became  an  old  thing,  and  he  felt  such  a  hank- 
ermg  anxiety  after  his  old  sins,  that,  now  and  then,  in  spite  of 
conscience,  he  complied  with  the  temptations  of  Satan ;  his  con- 
victions died  away;  his  heart  grew  harder  and  harder.  The 
unclean  spirit  returned,  '-'•and  found  his  house  empty^  sivept  and 
garnished,''^  with  prayers,  tears,  duties,  and  reformations.  And 
"Ae  brought  with  him  seven  other  devils  more  wicked  than  himself^ 
and  they  entered  in  and  dwelt  there,''''  So  the  last  state  of  the 
fool  was  worse  than  the  first.  Perhaps  this  was  the  last  call  the 
fool  ever  had. 

Time  would  fail  me  to  pursue  the  history  of  the  fool  through 
middle  life,  and  on  to  old  age.  I  must  pass  over  a  variety  of 
occurrences  in  his  life;  how  he  obtained  the  victory  over  his 
conscience;  how  the  lioly  Spi''it  gave  him  his  last  call;  and, 
when  this  was  resisted,  how  he  left  him  forever;  how  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  sealed  his  heart  under  the  curse,  so  that  all  the  pow- 
ers of  heaven  and  earth  could  not  open  it;  hov/  he  went  on 
from  sin  to  sin  with  horrid  rapidity,  till  his  cup  of  wrath  was  ' 
full  to  the  brim,  and  he  was  ripe  for  hell.  On  these  particulars 
1  cannot  dwell.     I  would,  therefore,  hasten  to  his  end. 

And  suffice  it  to  say,  he  died  accursed  of  God  when  his  soul 
was  separated  from  his. body,  and  the  black  flaming  vultures  of 
hell  began  to  encircle  him  on  every  side;  his  conscience  awoke 
from  its  long  sleep,  and  roared  like  ten  thousand  peals  of  thun- 
der; then  all  the  horrid  crimes  of  his  past  life  stared  him  in  his 
face  in  all  their  glowing  colors;  then  the  remembrance  of  mis- 
improved  sermons  and  sacramental  occasions,  flashed  like 
streams  of  forked  lightning  through  his  tortured  soul;  then  the 
reflection  that  he  had  slighted  the  mercy  and  blood  of  the  Son 


AND    END    OF    THE    FOOL.  149 

of  God;  that  he  had  despised  and  rejected  him,  was  Hke  a  poi- 
soned arrow  piercing  his  heart;  when  the  fiends  of  hell  dragged 
him  into  the  infernal  gulf  he  roared  and  screamed  and  yelled 
like  a  devil;  M'hen,  while  Indians,  Pagans,  and  Mahometans, 
stood  amazed,  and  upbraided  him,  falling,  like  Lucifer,  from  the 
meridian  blaze  of  the  Gospel  and  the  threshold  of  heaven,  sink- 
ing into  the  liquid  boiling  waves  of  hell,  and  accursed  sinners 
of  Tyre,  and  Sidon,  and  Sodom,  and  Gomorrah,  sprang  to  the 
right  and  left,  and  made  way  for  him  to  pass  them,  and  fall  low- 
er down  even  to  the  deepest  cavern  in  the  flaming  abyss — here 
his  conscience,  like  a  never-dying  worm,  stings  him  and  forever 
gnaws  his  soul,  and  the  slighted  blood  of  the  Son  of  God  com- 
municates ten  thousand  hells  in  one.  Now,  through  the  blazing 
flames  of  hell  he  sees  that  heaven  he  has  lost;  that  exceeding 
great  and  eternal  weight  of  glory  he  has  sold  for  the  devil's 
pottage.  In  those  pure  regions  he  sees  his  father  or  mother, 
his  sisters  or  brothers,  and  those  persons  who  sat  under  the  same 
means  of  grace  with  him,  and  whom  he  derided  as  fools,  fana- 
tics, and  hypocrites.  They  are  far  beyond  the  impassable  gulf; 
they  shine  brighter  than  the  sun  when  he  shineth  in  his  strength, 
.and  walk  the  golden  streets  of  the  new  J*erusalem;  but  he  is 
lost  and  damned  forever. 

The  last  thing  we  shall  mention  in  the  history  of  the  fool  is- 
when  he  lifted  up  his  his  eyes  in  hell,  he  found  a  dictionary  exg 

Elaining  the  meaning  of  all  the  profane  language  he  used  durine 
is  life.  Now  he  perfectly  understands  tlie  meaning  of  those 
words  he  was  in  the  habit  of  using  in  this  world  without  ever  re- 
flecting on  their  signification.  Such  expressions  as  the  follow- 
ing were  very  common  with  the  fool  in  this  life:  I'll  be  damned; 
God  damn  his  soul  if  it  was  not  so  and  so.  Now  the  fool  per- 
fectly understands  the  meaning  of  these  terms  in  all  their  hor- 
rid emphasis,  for  God  has  heard  and  answered  his  prayer ;  he  has 
damned  his  soul  in  hell.  He  could  now  tell  you  that  the  dreadful 
meaning  of  these  words  frighted  the  stoutest  devils,  and  fills  all 
the  flaming  vaults  of  hell  with  the  most  hideous  shrieks  and 
yells.  In  this  life,  when  the  fool  was  offended  at  any  one,  his 
common  phrase  was,  such  a  one  is  a  damned  fool.  Now  he 
perfectly  understands  the  meaning  of  the  phrase.  When  he 
surveys  his  life  and  reflects  on  the  many  offers  of  salvation  he 
refused;  the  manner  in  which  he  misspent  his  precious  time, 
and  misimproved  all  the  means  of  grace,  he  is  constrained  to 
confess  that  he  is  emphatically  a  fool — a  damned  fool — for  he 
is  damned  in  hell  forever  and  ever. 


SERMON    XV 


THE    SB  NIGER'S  CJUJIUE  TO  HEI^t,. 


Broad  is  the,  ir.ay  that  leadeth  to  destruction. — Matthew  vii.  13. 


All  the  inhabitants  of  this  world  are  swiftly  passing  to  eter- 
nity. Two  places,  heaven  and  hell,  are  ordained  as  the  final 
abodes  of  the  children  of  men. 

In  this  and  the  following  verse,  is  presented  the  great  contrast 
between  the  two  roads  leading  to  these  different  places:  '•'•Wide 
is  the  gate  and  broad  is  the  way  that  leadeth  to  destruction,  and 
many  there  be  which  go  in  thei^eat;  because  strait  is  the  gate  and 
narrori)  is  the  way  which  leadeth  unto  life,  and  feiv  there  be  that 
Jind  it.''"' 

Our  design  is,  to  speak  of  the  broad  way,  the  wide,  beaten 
path,  in  which  have  travelled  numberless  millions  of  Adam's 
race. 

The  broad  way  is  simply  a  life  of  sin  and  rebellion  against 
God,  and  is  called  a  way,  because  it  leads  to  hell  and  ends  in 
eternal  destruction.  As  the  traveller  who  pursues  persevering- 
ly  a  journey  is  sure  to  arrive  at  its  end,  so  he  who  persists  in  a 
life  of  sin  is  sure  to  land  in  hell. 

The  road  to  hell  is  here  called  a  broad  way,  because  a  majo- 
rity of  the  human  race,  in  every  generation,  has  travelled  it; 
and  by  far  the  greater  part  of  the  numberless  inhabitants  of  the 
earth  at  present  are  upon  this  broad  road,  rushing  to  hell  with 
awful  rapidity. 

If  we  suppose  one  hundred  thousand  men  drawn  up  in  solid 
column  on  a  highway,  it  must  be  very  broad  indeed  to  contain 
them;  but  this  would  bear  no  comparison  to  that  broad  way  up- 
on which  are  travelling  continually  hundreds  of  millions.  Oh, 
how  broad  is  the  road  to  hell!  Oh,  what  a  crowded  country 
must  hell  be!  The  great  design  of  the  incarnation, sufferings, 
and  death  of  Jesus  Christ,  of  the  mission  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
with  all  his.operations  upon  heart,  and  of  the  preaching  of  the 


THi;  sinnkr's  guide,  &,C-.  151 

Gospel,  together  with  the  promises, ca,Ils, and  thrcatenings  of  God 
himself,  is,  to  bring  sinners  from  this  broad  road  which  leads  to 
ruin;  and  to  persuade  them  to  pursue  the  narrow  way  that  leads 
to  life  and  immortal  glory. 

Well,  if  sinners  are  determined  to  go  to  hell,  we  will  endeavor 
to  show  them  the  way;  and  that  we  may  do  this,  we  will  try  to 
lay  the  path  so  plain  before  you  that  you  cannot  miss  it,  provid- 
ed you  follov/  our  directions  with  diligence. 

In  discussing  this  subject  further,  we  shall 

I.  Give  some  plain  directions,  by  following  which,  sinners  will 
be  sure  to  find  the  way. 

II.  Point  out  some  of  the  difficulties  of  the  way,  and  how 
they  may  be  overcome. 

III.  JMake  some  observations  upon  the  end  of  the  \vay. 
I.  Then,  in  order  to  direct  you  the  road  to  hell,  we  shall 
1st*  Make  some  remarks  upon  the  road  itself.     It  has  been 

said  above  that  the  road  was  broad,  crowded  with  an  innumera- 
ble multitude  of  passengers. 

Some  declare  that  there  are  many  paths  leading  to  hell;  but 
methinks  that  all  these  paths  are  included  in,  and  constitute  the 
broad  road.  Like  the  street  in  a  city,  there  are  the  paved  walks 
for  footmen,  and  the  broader  part  for  horsemen  and  carriages* 
The  orthodox  hypocrite  has  a  smooth,  nice  path,  paved  with 
convictions,  plausible  experiences.  Christian  duties,  tears,  en- 
largements, and  melting  frames  of  mind. 

The  moral  formalist  has  a  rough,  hard  pavement,  consisting 
of  his  religioijs'education,  his  standing  in  the  church,  specula- 
tive knowledge,  orthodox  princi}:)ies  and  good  desires. 

The  deist  or  infidel  has  his  passage  snugly  causewayed  with 
reason,  natural  religion,  and  many  false  pretensions  of  respect 
for  the  God  of  Nature. 

The  genteel,  polite  sensualist  travels  along  a  graded,  pleas- 
ant pavement,  on  which  he  goes  sporting,  singing,  skipping  and 
dancing. 

The  profane  sinner,  the  swinish  drunkard,  the  filthy  debau- 
chee, the  scofier  at  God  and  religion;  all  these  travel  the  rough 
and  filthy  part  of  this  broad  road,  wading  to  their  knees  in  mud 
and  mire,  and  besmeared  with  the  filth  of  sin. 

2d.  If  you  are  resolved  to  pursue  the  downward  road  to  hell, 
you  should  be  prepared  for  the  journey.  A  wise  man  with  a 
journey  before  him,  makes  all  the  necessary  preparation  before 
he  starts.  The  Christian  wlio  travels  the  narrow  way  to  the 
heavenly  country,  must  be  clad  in  the  Gospel  armor,  that  he 
may  withstand  the  attacks  of  all  the  enemies  he  may  meet. — 
So  also  the  sinner  must  be  armed  at  every  point,  well  harnessed 
for  the  way,  else  he  will  have  hard  work  to  get  along. 


162  THE  sinner's 

He  must  be  surrounded  by  the  darkness  of  ignorance;  his 
mmd  must  be  blind  to  all  spiritual  objects;  ignorant  of  God, 
Christ,  and  the  plan  of  salvation;  ignorant  of  the  extent  and 
purity  of  the  divine  law.  And,  thus  prepared,  you  may  sustain 
a  heavy  attack ;  you  may  sport  with  the  terrors  of  a  God,  and, 
Leviathan-like,  laugh  at  the  shaking  of  Jehovah's  spear.  You 
should  have  also  a  conscience  seared  as  it  were  with  an  hot 
iron;  then  you  may  ward  oft' the  heaviest  blows  of  God's  Word 
and  Spirit.  You  must  also  have  a  hard  heart — a  heart  that  will 
bid  defiance  to  God  himself,  that  w^ill  refuse  to  tremble  at  all  his 
threatenings,  terrors,  and  tremendons  curses^ — a  heart  that  will 
remain  senseless  as  a  rock  under  all  the  dreadful  thunders  of  his 
wrath,  as  unfeeling  as  the  nether  mill-stone  to  all  the  calls  and 
entreaties  of  a  dying  Saviour;  cherish  the  utmost  enmity  to 
God;  be  ashamed  of  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ;  never  be 
found  praying  a  tear. 

In  performing  this  journey,  it  is  necessary  that  you  should 
provide  yourself  with  provisions.  Store  your  minds  with  strong 
prejudices  against  the  life  and  power  of  religion.  Supply  your- 
self with  excuses  for  sin;  such  as  these:  This  sin  and  the  oth- 
er are  small  sins.  This  thing  is  no  harm.  Surely  there  is  no- 
thing sinful  in  a  genteel  dance,  no  harm  in  taking  a  drink  of 
grog,  if  a  man  pays  for  it  himself,  and  does  not  make  a  beast  of 
himself.  If  you  curse  and  swear,  excuse  yourself  because  you 
were  angry  and  insulted,  and  since  you  don't  profess  religion,  it 
makes  no  odds. 

Always  have  at  hand  a  good  store  of  the  faults  and  blunders, 
the  coldness  and  carnality  of  Christians.  All  these  will  serve 
to  ease  your  conscience  and  make  your  way  to  hell  more  easy. 

But  we  will  give  you  some  more  particular  directions^ 

Live  as  prayerless  as  a  beast.     If  you  feel  any  impressions  to 

f)ray,  resist  them;  use  every  excuse  to  avoid  prayer,  and  to  si- 
ence  conscience;  make  a  jest  of  it,  laugh  at  it,  and  make  fun 
of  all  those  who  perform  this  duty.  Go  to  every  frolic,  frequent 
vain  company,  sing,  fiddle  and  dance,  and  obtain  for  yourselves 
all  the  devil,  the  world,  and  sin  can  give  you.  Get  drunk,  boast 
that  you  are  a  clever  fellow,  curse  and  swear,  and  be  as  profane 
as  your  hellish  nature  will  admit  of,  and  there  is  no  danger  that 
you  will  fail  of  attaining  to  destruction.  Give  a  loose  rein  to 
mirth  and  jesting;  ridicule  divine  and  eternal  things;  and  if  you 
find  it  necessary  to  raise  the  laugh,  tell  a  few  ingenious  lies. — 
Use  every  effort  to  acquire  riches,  upon  any  terms.  In  horse 
swapping,  land-jobbing,  and  all  other  kinds  of  trade,  take  every 
advantage  in  your  power;  deviate  from  the  truth;  extol  any 
property  you  may  wish  to  sell  fifty  times  beyond  its  value;  tell 
what  extravagant  prices  you  have  been  offered  for  it,  by  such 
and  such  respectable  and  intelligent  men,  and  never  miss  a  good 


GUIDE    TO    HELL.        W^  153 

bargain  for  want  of  a  solid,  substantial  lie.  When  you  meet  a 
poor  man  in  distress,  who  is  simple  and  ignorant,  cheat  him;  and 
if  conscience  checks  you,  remember  your  bundle  of  excuses  for 
sin.  This  man  had  the  making  of  one-half  of  the  bargain;  his 
eyes  were  open,  and  he  would  have  cheated  me  if  he  had  been 
as  smart  a  fellow;  and  now-a-days  it  is  every  man  for  himself. 
Such  reasoning  as  this  will  ease  the  qualms  of  conscience,  and 
give  you  essential  assistance  in  the  road  to  hell.  Indulge  in 
pride  and  vanity;  look  down  with  disdain  upon  all  around  you; 
treat  all  as  your  inferiors,  and  esteem  yourself  some  great  and 
good  body ;  leave  religion  to  the  vulgar — your  mind  is  too  noble 
to  be  taken  up  with  such  trivial  matters.  Indulge  anger,  malice, 
and  revenge,  upon  all  occasions.  Be  cross  and  contrary  as 
possible ;  delight  to  keep  up  disturbance  in  your  neighborhood ; 
make  your  family  unhappy.  If  you  receive  the  smallest  affront, 
resent  it — rage  like  a  devil,  curse  and  blaspheme,  seize  the  fel- 
low by  the  throat  and  knock  him  down.  Cherish  all  manner  of 
deceit;  make  every  man  believe  you  love  and  respect  him,  when 
in  his  company;  but  when  behind  his  back,  laugh  at  his  weak- 
nesses, expose  his  faults,  and  tell  a  thousand  lies  to  exaggerate 
them;  backbite  him,  and  endeavor  secretly  to  ruin  his  charac- 
ter; and  if  he  be  without  fault,  throw  out  some  dark,  suspicious 
hints,  that  they  may  make  men  suppose  that  you  have  found 
him  guilty  of  some  horrible  act  of  wickedness ;  when  in  his  com- 
pany, make  every  profession  of  friendship  towards  him,  until 
you  have  possessed  yourself  of  all  his  mind,  and  slyly  let  his 
secrets  out  into  the  world ;  and  when  he  places  full  confidence 
in  you,  and  suffers  you  to  get  his  property  into  your  power, 
swindle  him  out  of  his  whole  fortune.  But,  to  curse  and  blas- 
pheme the  name  of  God,  is,  of  all  exercises  on  the  broad  road, 
the  most  rational  that  the  sinner  can  be  engaged  in.  This  de- 
claration may  surprise  you.  Can  it  be  rational  to  blaspheme 
God's  holy  name  ?  If  you  intended  to  remove  to  a  strange  coun- 
try, it  would  be  very  proper  to  learn  the  language  of  its  inhabit- 
ants; and  so,  as  you  intend  to  spend  an  eternity  in  hell,  it  is  fit 
and  necessary  that  you  should  learn  the  dialect  of  the  damned; 
for  there  is  nothing  so  like  the  disposition  of  the  devil,  that  be- 
trays so  much  of  the  temper  of  the  fiends  of  the  infernal  pit,  as 
this.  In  a  word,  if  you  intend  to  choose  the  broad  road  to  hell, 
live  in  sin,  commit  it  with  greediness,  go  into  all  manner  of  evil, 
follow  every  imagination  of  your  wicked  heart,  despise  reproof, 
stifle  your  convictions,  murder  conscience,  resist  every  motion 
of  God's  Holy  Spirit,  made  through  the  red  tide  of  a  Redeemer's 
blood,  and  press  onward,  regardless  of  God  or  man. 

II.  Point  out  some  of  the  difficulties  of  the  way,  and  show 
how  they  may  be  overcome. 

22 


154  ^  'f^'^    SlNNKK  S  * 

The  w  av  to  hell  is,  indeed,  difficult*,  for,  as  the  Christian  is 
scarcelv  saVed,  and  that  through  great  tribulation  and  h.urdships, 
so  the  sinner  is  damned  through  much  trouble;  he  works  out  his 
damnation  with  fear  and  trembling.  The  difficulty  of  the  way 
might  be  demonstrated  by  a  variety  of  examples;  but  one  is 
sufficient — that  of  the  drunkard.  He  has,  indeed,  a  painful  task 
of  it  to  get  to  hell.  He  must  part  with  the  peace  and  happi- 
n3ss  of  h's  family,  and  live  at  variance  with  the  companion  of 
his  bosom.  He  must  forfeit  respectability  of  character,  his  dig- 
nity and  importance  in  society,  and  sink  into  contempt.  He 
must  try  his  health,  destroy  his  constitution,  and  bring  upon  him- 
self malignant  diseases;  he  must  expose  himself  to  horrid  acci- 
dents— even  to  death  itself — by  falling  from  his  horse,  lying  out 
all  night  in  the  inclemency  of  the  weather,  liable  to  be  frozen, 
or  torn  to  pieces  by  wild  beasts.  Add  to  these,  the  bitter  reflec- 
tions of  his  own  mind  when  sober.  What  an  awful  sense  of 
shame  and  disgrace  seizes  his  mind — conscience,  with  all  its  hor- 
rors, distracts  his  soul,  and  dark  forebodings  of  hell  thrust  them- 
selves upon  him. 

But  let  us  point  out  some  of  the  difficulties  of  the  broad  road 
which  impede  the  progress  of  the  sinner,  and  show  you  how  to 
overcome  them. 

1st.  The  light  of  conscience  is  an  intolerable  obstacle,  and 
often  gives  the  traveller  on  this  road  hard  work.  It  mars  his 
peace,  deprives  him  of  the  satisfaction  which  he  would  experi- 
ence in  his  sinful  amusements.  To  get  quit  of  this  troublesome 
difficulty,  whenever  it  makes  you  uneasy,  fly  to  the  bottle,  and 
drown  it  with  whiskey;  or  go  to  the  tavern  or  still-house;  drink 
till  you  are  intoxicated:  and  when  you  come  to  your  senses,  if 
conscience  again  torments  you,  try  the  same  remedy,  and  often 
repeat  it,  and  you  will  eilectually  drown  conscience.  Another 
method  to  overcome  the  light  of  conscience  is,  to  gather  all  the 
blunders  and  faults  of  proiessors  of  religion;  collect  the  crimes 
of  all  the  rotten-hearted  hypocrites,  and  if  there  are  a  few 
Christians  of  pious  and  blameless  conduct,  believe  that  they  are 
fools,  fanatics, or  enthusiasts;  and,  when  yc-u  have  put  all  these 
things  together,  persuade  yourself  that  there  is  no  reality  in  re- 
ligion. Go  into  every  kind  of  vain  company,  and  laugh,  jest, 
and  endeavor  to  sing  away  every  serious  thought;  but,  if  possi- 
ble, get  up  a  frolic  and  dance;  for  this  is  the  most  likely  means 
by  which  to  lull  conscience  to  sleep.  But  of  all  others,  the  most 
effectual  way  to  stifle  conscience  is,  to  oppose  it;  do  all  those 
things  which'it  forbids;  when  it  stares  you  in  the  face,  and  tells 
you  any  thing  is  wicked,  go  and  do  that  very  thing;  if  it  dictates 
to  pray  or  perform  any  other  duty,  be  sure  to  neglect  and  re- 
fuse to  do  it.  Conscience  thus  repulsed  a  few  times,  will  leave 
you  to  sleep  until  you  arc  waked  by  the  torments  of  hell. 


*  GUIDE    TO    HKLL.  1  55 

2d.  Anotlier  difficulty  is  the  effect  of  the  Gospel,  which  you 
hear  agnin  and  again.  When  in  the  day  ot"  his  power  the  liOrd 
pours  out  his  Spirit,  when  you  see  the  omnipotence  of  Jehovah 
displayed  in  the  conviction  and  conversion  of  your  parents  or 
children,  your  neighbors  or  friends — this  will  torment  you,  and 
give  you  trouble  by  the  way.  But  I  will  tell  you  how  you  may 
get  over  this.  When  you  go  to  meeting,  sit  at  the  outside  of 
the  assembly;  go  off  as  often  as  possible;  in  the  meantime, 
whisper,  laugh  a  little;  when  a  stir  begins,  stay  among  the  wick- 
ed, or  go  out  of  the  house,  v/alk  about,  ridicule  the  exercises  of 
the  Christians;  and  if  one  come  to  talk  to  you,  tell  him  you 
don't  believe  it  is  right;  that  it  is  hypocrisy,  the  devil's  work; 
that  people  could  help  it  if  they  would;  tliat  it  is  only  women 
and  ignorant  people  that  keep  such  an  ado;  that  such  a  pray- 
ing, exhorting,  and  hallooing,  only  scares  folks  and  raises  their 
passions  above  their  reason.  Should  conviction  begin  to  seize 
you,  and  your  conscience  torment  you,  then  run  for  life,  clear 
out  as  fast  as  you  can.  If  you  should  be  so  much  affected  as  to 
shed  tears  and  fail  down,  strait  go  to  your  wricked  companions, 
and  tell  them  of  it;  laugh  with  all  your  might;  tell  them  that  the 
screaming,  hallooing  people  had  like  to  have  had  you  down;  tell 
them  how  such  a  one  fell,  and  rolled,  and  tumbled — how-  another 
yelled  and  screamed;  and,  to  help  the  business,  be  sure  to  tell  a 
number  of  lies.  But,  to  avoid  such  difficulties,  is,  to  keep  away 
from  all  preaching,  praying,  and  religious  meetings;  sleep  every 
Sabbath  away  at  home,  or  spend  it  in  strolling  about  from  place 
to  place  among  the  wdcked. 

3d.  In  your  way  to  hell,  stands  a  solid  column  of  praying 
.  Christians.  Through  this  opposition  force  your  way.  When 
you  come  in  contact  Avith  them,  look  as  hardened  as  a  beast;  let 
your  countenance  indicate  contempt  and  disdain.  If  this  will 
not  do,  raise  a  dispute  with  them;  grow  angry,insult  them,  and 
give  them  all  the  abuseful  language  imaginable.  By  doing  so, 
they  will  be  discouraged  by  your  hardness  of  heart,  and  will 
conclude  that  your  day  of  grace  is  past,  and  let  you  alone. 

4th.  The  Eternal  Spirit  of  God  will  oppose  you  in  your  way 
to  hell;  his  powerful  calls  upon  your  consciences,  his  strivings 
with  your  hearts,  and  earnest  entreaties  and  expostulations,  will 
make  it  troublesome  to  get  along.  But  if  you  will  be  relieved 
of  this  visitant,  oppose  him  with  all  your  power;  put  off  re- 
pentance to  some  future  period;  resist  all  his  operations,  and, at 
length,  he  wdll  leave  you;  for  he  draws  rationally  and  power- 
fully. This  Almighty  Agent  will  not  force  you  to  heaven;  but, 
if  he  still  hangs  about  your  conscience,  disobey  all  his  warnings, 
refuse  to  give  heed  to  all  his  invitations.  Enter  more  deeply 
into  sin;  be  much  more  wicked  than  you  have  been,  and  he 
will  leave  you  in  ease  to  indulge  in  folly  and  iniquity,  that  you 


156  THE  sinner's  • 

may  become  a  fit  subject  for  the  wrath  and  fiery  vengeance  of 
Jehovah. 

5th.  The  gracious,  compassionate  Jesus  will  oppose  your 
course  in  the  broad  road.  And  here  is  the  hardest  task.  You 
must  trample  under  foot  his  bruised  and  mangled  body,  and  wade 
through  the  red  sea  of  his  divine  blood;  you  must  set  your  face, 
like  adamant,  toward  hell,  determined  to  force  your  way  down 
to  destruction,  in  despite  of  all  opposition. 

III.  Make  some  observations  upon  the  end  of  the  way.  The 
end  of  the  broad  road  is  death:  '•''The  wages  of  sin  is  death.'''' — 
Here,  poor  sinner,  you  will  at  once  come  to  your  senses,  and  re- 
flect like  a  rational  creature.  Now,  awful  consternation,  keen 
horror,  and  a  fearful  looking-for  of  judgment  will  tear  your  soul 
with  bitter  agony. 

My  thoughts  on  awful  subjects  roll. 
Damnation  and  the  dead ; 
AVhat  horrors  seize  a  guilty  soul 
Upon  a  dying  bed! 

And  now,  sinner,  you  must  part  with  all  your  mirth.  Your 
vain  jests  and  merry  songs,  your  entertainments,  your  balls,  fro- 
lics and  dances,  are  eternally  over.  Conscience  awakes  like  a 
giant  refreshed  with  wine,  and  gnaws  like  a  greedy  vulture. — 
AH  the  sins  of  your  past  life  stare  you  in  the  face,  the  guilt  of 
all  your  slighted  opportunities,  the  convictions  you  have  mur- 
dered, the  offers  of  mercy  you  have  despised.  The  abused  blood 
of  the  Son  of  God,  now  form  the  foretaste  of  hell — the  forebo- 
dings of  damnation. 

But  when  the  fatal  moment  comes,  when  body  and  soul  must 
part — Oh,  dismal  thought! — the  flaming  fiends  appear,  a  solid 
column  of  devils  fill  the  room,  they  approach  to  the  bedside  like 
raging  lions,  they  seize  your  departing  soul — ^what  will  your 
feelings  then  be  1  As  it  is  said  of  the  glorified  saints  in  heaven, 
^''Eye  hath  not  seen^  nor  ear  heard,  neither  have  entered  into  the 
heart  of  man,  the  things  zohich  God  hath  prepared  for  them  that 
love  himJ'''  The  heart  of  man  cannot  conceive  of  the  inexpress- 
ible torments  of  the  damned  in  hell. 

The  next  thing  after  the  end  of  the  way  is,  hell — the  sinner's 
own  place,  his  final  abode,  his  everlasting  home — in  Scripture 
called,  "TAe  bottomless  pit — the  burning  lake''' — "TAe  lake  that 
burns  wiihjire  and  brimstone^'' — ^^Tophet,  ordained  of  old,  the  pile 
whereof  is  Jirt  and  much  wood;  the  breath  of  the  Lord,  like  a 
stream  of  fire  and  brimstone,  doth  kindle  it'''' — The  second  death — 
"TAe  blackness  of  darkness — The  wrath  to  come — the  vengeance 
of  eternal  fire — Everlasting  fire  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his 
angels,'''' 

In  this  gloomy  region,  your  company,  sinner,  will  be,  the  hor- 
rible fiends  of  hell,  together  with  all  the  accursed  spirits,  forev- 


GUIDE    TO    HELL.  157 

er  banished  from  the  peaceful  presence  of  the  Lord,  all  the 
damned  ghosts  that  ever  have,  or  sliall,  sink  down  to  eternal 
death:  yea,  all  the  rubbish  and  oft-scouring,  the  filth  and  refuse 
of  the  moral  world,  which  a  holy  God  deems  unfit  for  any  other 
place. 

Were  you  shut  up  alone  one  night  in  a  dark  room  with  the 
devil,  how  dreadful  would  you  feel !  But,  then,  you  will  be  with 
him  forever  more.  In  hell,  you  will  feel  all  the  punishment  of 
loss — loss  of  heaven,  loss  of  God  and  Christ,  hope,  and  all  pos- 
sibility of  mercy.  You  shall  feel,  too,  the  punishment  of  sense. 
The  eternal,  uninterrupted  communications  of  Jehovah's  pure, 
unmixed  wrath,  will  forever  prey  upon  thasoul,  inflicting  keener 
pain  and  torture  than  Nebuchadnezzar's  furnace,  seven  times 
healed,  could  inflict  upon  a  natural  body.  While  the  one  hand 
of  enraged  Omnipotence  supports  the  sinner  in  being,  and  en- 
larges his  capacity  for  suffering,  with  the  other  he  tortures  him 
with  all  the  miseries  and  pains  which  infinite  wisdom  can  invent, 
or  Almighty  Power  inflict.  Oh,  how  dreadful  must  be  the  tor-^ 
ments  of  HELL! 


SEEMON  XVL 


0?!i  THE  i:»SPORTJiNCE  OF  EAKL,Y  PIF/'IY. 

Re7np?nber  noiv  thy    Ci'tator  in  the  days  of  ihy  ycvth. — Rrcr.Est- 
ASTKS,  xii.    1. 


My  Young  Friends: 

I  may  address  you  with  propriety  in  the  language  of  Ehud, 
the  Jewish  commander,  to  Eglon,  king  of  Moab,  "i  have  a 
message  from  God  ztnto  theeJ'''  Things  of  everlasting  impor- 
tance demand  your  attention. 

Tiie  high  and  lofty  One  who  inhabits  Eternity,  who  spake 
worlds  and  systems  of  worlds  into  being,  who  orders  the  rising 
and  setting  of  the  sun,  who  counts  the  sta,rs,  and  claims  the 
universe  as  his  own,  addresses  himself  to  you  to-day,  and  com- 
mands you  particularly  to  remember  your  Creator  in  the  days 
of  your  youth. 

i)are  you  refuse  your  attention?  You  are  Ids  creatures;  he 
called  you  from  nothing  into  being,  gave  you  an  existence  which 
shall  outlive  the  wreck  of  worlds,  which  shall  endure  when  suns 
shall  rise  and  set  no  more. 

Ijook  back  one  century,  and  tell  me  where  were  you  then, 
and  where  ten  thousand  ages  previous.  You  existed  no  where; 
no  such  beings  were  known  throughout  Jehovah's  vast  domin- 
ions. And  where  will  you  be  one  hundred  years  from  this  time? 
Gone  forever  from  this  globe — swallowed  up  in  boundless  eter- 
nity. You  will  be  walking  the  golden  streets  of  the  Heavenly 
Jerusalem,  joining  the  songs  of  adoring  angels,  the  shouts  and 
hallelujahs  of  the  blood-bought  millions;  or  you  will  be  roaring  in 
the  dark  regions  of  hell,  shrieking  and  yelling  with  the  devils 
and  despairing  fiends.  Oh,  my  young  friends,  how  precious  are 
your  souls! — how  important  those  things  big  with  your  everlast= 
ing  fate!     As,  says  the  celebrated  Davies,  each  one  of  you  is 

An  embryo  augel,  or  an  infant  fi«nd, 

YoM  are  beings  now  begun,  but  ne'er  to  end ; 

Fiain  glory,  then,  to  glory  yeu  must  rise, 

Or  Sink  from  deep  to  deep«r  miseries, 

Ascend  perfection's  everlasting  scalei 

Or  still  descend  from  gulf  in  hell.  ' 


ON    THK    IMPORTANCE  159 

111  the  reiatiou  in  wiiioh  you^Umd  lo  God — oS  cre;vtures  to  a 
creator — self-love  and  your  best  interests  call  loudly  upon  you 
to  attend  to  the  solemn  and  awful  voice  of  the  eternal  God, 
*'  Rc7neinhcr  now  thy  Creator  in  the  days  of  thy  youth.'''' 

In  these  words  there  are  two  things  which  especially  demand 
our  attention.  First,  an  important  command:  "  Rammhcr  now 
thy  Creator.'^  To  forget  God,  in  Scripture,  is  expressive  of  a 
life  spent  in  sin  and  wickedness.  Therefore,  to  remember  God, 
includes  tlie  very  essence  of  religion.  It  is  to  keep  in  mind  the 
infinite  obligations  of  love,  gratitude  and  obedience,  w^c  are  un- 
der to  him  as  our  creator,  preserver  and  kind  benefactor.  It 
implies  a  particular  attention  to  all  the  commands  ^ivc-n  in  his 
word,  an  implicit  obedience  to  all  the  precepts  of  tlie  gospel — 
a  harkening  to  his  voice  when  he  calls  by  prosperous  and  ad- 
verse providences,  by  the  dictates  of  conscience,  and  the  influ- 
ences of  his  Holy  Spirit. 

That  religion  which  consists  in  change  of  nature  and  in  con- 
formity to  the  likeness  of  God — which  prepares  tJie  soul  for 
death,  judgment  and  eternity — is  sometimes  called  the  fear  ot 
God.  ''Fear  God  and  keep  his  commatubncnts ;  for  this  is  the 
whole  duty  of  man^'' — '*  The  secret  of  the  Lord  is  with  th'tn  that 
fear  him."''  Sometimes  it  is  defined  love  to  God.  "  We  love 
him  because  he  first  loved  us'''' — "  Every  one  that  lovcth  is  born  of 
God,  and  knoweth  Gody  The  sum  of  the  first  table  of  the  di- 
vine law  is,  '"'Thou  shall  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,, 
and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  mind,"'  And,  ;igain,  it  is 
termed  the  knowledge  of  God.  ''And  this  is  life  eternal,  that  they 
rnight  know  thee,  the  only  true  God,  and  Jesus  Christ,  ivhom  thou 
hast  sent.''''  St.  Paul  speaks  of  it  as  holiness.  Without  holiness 
no  man  shall  see  the  Lord.  But  in  our  text,  it  is  included  in  the 
idea  of  remembering  our  Creator. 

Secondly.  The  command  is  particularly  addressed  to  persons 
in  your  season  of  life:  "Remember  now  thy  Creator  m  the  days 
OF  THY  YOUTH."  To  remember  our  Creator  is  enjoined'upon  all 
ranks,  classes  and  descriptions  of  mankind.  But  here  more 
particularly  upon  those  in  the  bloom  and  vigor  of  youth.  The 
Almighty  Jehovah  demands,  as  his  unquestionable  right,  your 
hearts — your  whole  hearts — your  souls,  bodies  and  spirits.  He 
requires  your  love  and  obedience  to  all  his  commands. 

In  the  farther  prosecution  of  this  subject,  we  shall  consider — 

I.  The  propriety  of  the  command. 

II.  What  it  is  to  obey  it. 

III.  Enforce  that  obedience. 

I.  The  propriety  of  the  command. 

Then,  my  young  friends,  permit  me  to  ask  you  a  serious  and 
important  question.  Is  it  not  right  to  love  good  and  hato  evil? 
to  choose  happiness  and  avoid  misery?  to  seek  your  tem[ioral 


160  OF    EARLY    PIKTY. 

and  eternal  interests,  and  shun  everlasting  destruction?  to  take 
God — Christ-^and  everlasting  blessedness  for  your  portion ;  and 
forsake  sin  that  you  may  escape  a  dreadful  hell  of  indescriba- 
ble torment?  Would  it  not  be  rational  for  an  intelligent  crea- 
ture, who  must  spend  a  long  eternity  in  heaven  or  hell,  to  make 
such  a  choice?  Then,  it  is  right  also  to  remember  your  Creator 
in  the  days  of  your  youth.  He  is  infinitely  deserving  of  your 
highest  love, your  strongest  affection,  your  praise  and  obedience. 
He  is  the  essence  of  being — the  source  of  every  perfection. — 
^*  The  heavens  declare  the  glory  of  God;  and  the  Jirmament  shew- 
clhhis  handy  work,'''' — '-'■Day  unto  day  uttereth  speech^  and  night 
unto  night  sheiceth  knowlcdge.^^  The  works  of  nature  and  the 
dealings  of  his  providence  proclaim  his  infinite  wisdom,  his  al- 
mighty power  and  unbounded  goodness.  The  apostle  tells  us, 
thai  his  eternal j)Ower  and  Godhead  are  clearly  seen^  being  under- 
stood, by  the  things  which  he  has  made. 

But  it  is  the  volume  of  divine  revelation  that  the  ineffable 
glories  of  God  and  the  excellency  of  his  attributes,  shine  in 
noon-day  splendor.  There  he  is  described  as  the  great  "  I  am 
THAT  I  AM,"  the  Almighty,  self-existent  and  eternal  cause  of  all 
things.  The  Sovereign  of  the  Universe,  by  whose  power 
worlds  are  upheld,  and  by  whose  wisdom  they  are  governed. — 
Before  him  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  vanish  into  nothing. — 
*'  Who  hath  measured  the  loaters  in  the  holloio  of  his  hand^  and 
meted  out  heaven  with  a  span,  and  comprehended  the  dust  of  the 
earth  in  a  measure,  and  iceighed  the  mountains  in  scales,  and  the 
hills  in  a  balance!  Behold,  the  nations  are  as  a  drop  of  a  bucket, 
and.  arc  counted  as  the  small  dust  of  the  balance;  behold,  he  taketh 
up  the  isles  as  a  very  little  thing'''' — "  Oh,  the  depth  of  the  riches, 
both  of  the  wisdom  and  knowledge  of  God.'  how  unsearchable  his 
Judgments,  cmd  his  ways  past  finding  out!''''  He  is  the  holy 
Lord  God,  worshipped  and  adored  by  angels,  archangels,  and  all 
his  ransomed  followers,  who  surround  his  lofty  throne.  How 
extraordinary  his  love;  how  boundless  his  goodness,  which  ex- 
tends to  all  his  creatures.  "  God  is  love''' — pure,  unmixed,  un- 
paralleled, unbounded  love.  In  a  word,  "  The  Lord,  the  Lord 
God,  mci^cifal  and  gracious,  long-suffering,  and  abundant  in 
goodness  and  truth.^''  But  in  the  plan  of  salvation,  in  the  re- 
demption of  a  lost  world  by  the  obedience  and  death  of  his 
Son,  consists  the  most  overwhelming  display  of  the  glory  of 
God.  Though  his  attributes  shine  with  astonishing  beauty  in 
the  works  of  Creation  and  Providence,  yet  no  where  are  they 
exhibited  with  such  amazing  grandeur  as  in  the  face  of  Jesus. 
This  was  truly  the  greatest  work  of  the  Omnipotent. 

God,  ill  the  person  of  his  Son, 

Hath  all  his  mightiest  works  out  done. 


ON    THE    IMPORTANCE    &€.  161 

Stem  justice,  immaculate  holiness,  unsearchable  wisdom,  ev- 
erlasting love,  and  unparalleled  mere}-  unite  in  a  dying  Saviour, 
while  salvation  from  sin  and  hell  flows  in  crimson  torrents  from 
his  bleeding  heart. 

My  young  friends,  I  have  endeavored  to  impress  you  with 
the  dignity,  the  glory,  excellency  and  beauty  of  Him  wdio  ad- 
dresses you  in  our  text:  ^''Remember  now  thy  Creator  in  the  days 
of  thy  youth.''''  And  does  not  your  reason  at  once  reply  that 
you  should  remember  him  while  in  the  bloom  of  youth;  that 
you  should  love,  serve,  praise  and  adore  him  with  your  whole  heart, 
soul,  mind,  and  strength.  You  should  yield  obedience  to  this 
command,  because  you  are  his  creatures.  He  brought  you  from 
nothing  into  being — made  you  rational  creatures  capable  ot 
contemplating  the  glory  of  his  attributes,  and  enjoying  everlast- 
ing happiness;  helms  fed,  clothed, and  preserved  you  from  the 
earliest  period  of  your  existence;  he  has  bestowed  upon  you 
innumerable  mercies  and  blessings;  he  has  supported  you  un- 
der the  most  alarming  circumstances;  he  has  snatched  you  from 
the  grasp  of  death  when  all  hopes  of  life  were  extinct;  he  pitied 
your  ruined  state — opened  a  door  of  divine  mercy — gave  his 
Son  to  die  for  you,  to  purchase  your  salvation  from  sin  and  hell; 
he  has  given  you  his  Word — his  Gospel — and  the  internal  ope- 
rations of  his  Holy  Spirit.  Then,  I  ask,  can  any  thing  be  more 
reasonable  than  that  you  should  remember  you  Creator^  even  now^ 
in  the  days  of  your  youth  ? 

Yonr  best  interest  calls  loudly  upon  you  to  attend  to  this 
command;  to  hearken  to  the  voice  of  his  Word  and  Spirit, 
Your  temporal  and  eternal  happiness  depends  upon  the  atten- 
tion you  give  to  this  earnest  invitation.  Your  judgment  teache- 
you  the  propriety  of  loving  and  serving  him.  All  he  requires 
of  you  is,  to  forsake  sin,  your  w^orst  enemy — the  abominable 
thing  which  he  hates,  and  \vhich  will  render  you  miserable 
throughout  the  ceaseless  ages  of  eternity.  He  asks  you  only 
to  walk  in  the  narrow  way  that  leadeth  unto  life ;  to  escape  mis- 
ery and  ruin,  and  accept  of  true  happiness,  unspeakable  glory, 
and  eternal  life.  Can  any  thing  be  so  reasonable  as  these  re- 
quisitions? Can  any  demands  be  more  strictly  in  accordance 
with  propriety  and  justice? 

But  many  young  people  tell  us  that  sin  is  an  innocent  thing, 
and  there  is  no  danger  attached  to  it.  They  tell  us  that  it  is  no 
harm  to  forget  God;  to  live  months  and  years  without  praying  to 
him;  to  neglect  the  Bible,  and  pay  no  attention  to  its  precepts; 
to  spend  the  Sabbath  in  giddy  company,  with  vain  mirth  and 
foolish  conversation,  and  in  romps  and  plays.  There  is  no  harm 
in  the  ball  room,  in  cards,  racing,  or  in  taking  a  glass  of  grog. 
But  remember,  my  friends,  ''The  heart  is  deceitful  above  all 
things^  and  desperately  wicked.'''     Reflect   one  moment;  view  sin 


162  OF  EARLY   I'lETV. 

closely;  consider  its  nature  and  tendency.  It  separates  the 
soul  from  God,  your  Creator  and  wise  preserver,  the  source  of 
all  happiness,  and  the  spring  of  ever^  perfection,  and  tends  to 
the  descruction  of  all  order,  beauty,  harmony  and  bliss  through- 
out the  creation  of  God.  Its  consequences  are  anarchy  and 
eternal  death.  It  aims  at  nothing  less  than  the  annihilation  of 
Deity,  and  the  ruin  of  his  vast  empire.  What  has  this  monster 
done?  It  hurled  angels  from  the  throne  of  God  to  the  bottom- 
less pit  of  hell,  and  transformed  them  into  devils — robbed  Ad- 
am of  the  image  of  God,  and  enstamped  upon  his  heart  in  liv- 
id colors,  the  likeness  of  the  arch  fiend  of  hell — connverted  our 
world,  once  a  Paradise,  into  a  dreary  waste,  bringing  forth 
thorns,  breeding  disease  and  death.  Whence  originated  those 
disorders  and  miseries  to  which  mankind  has  so  long  been  sub- 
jected? Whence  arise  cruelty,  injustice  and  bloodshed? 
Whence  spring  oppression,  contention  and  all  possible  evil? 
Sin  has  produced  all  these  dismal  ellects. 

Descend  to  the  regions  of  the  damned.  View  the  innumera- 
ble multitudes  of  devils  and  fiend  like  ghosts  rolling  in  liquid 
flames  of  fire  and  bi-imstone.  Hear  their  dismal  shrieks,  their 
horrid  groans,  and  despairing  yells.  Inquire  of  them  why  they 
are  there — and  what  causes  their  unutterable  anguish?  They 
will  answer  you,  in  language  big  with  infernal  horror,  SIN. 

And  now  say,  is  it  an  innocent,  inofiensive  thing?  Would 
you  escape  this  abominable  monster  and  all  its  dreadful  conse- 
quences? Then  obey  the  command  given  in  the  text:  ''^Remem- 
ber now  thy  Creator  in  the  days  of  thy  youth.'''' 

II.  What  it  is  to  obey  this  command. 

To  remenber  the  Creator,  signifies  solemn  and  serious  reflec- 
tion upon  his  character  and  attributes;  a  strict  attention  to  his 
Word  and  the  calls  of  his  Holy  Spirit.  "Men,"  says  Brown, 
"remember  God  when  they  think  of  him,  believe  on  him,  and 
trust  him  for  salvation." 

It  also  implies  that  we  be  sensible  of  the  infinite  obligations 
we  are  under  to  him;  that  we  love  him  with  all  our  hearts,  soul, 
mind  and  strength;  that  we  obey  all  the  injunctions  of  the  di- 
vine law;  that  we  serve  God  with  a  perfect  mind;  that  we  deal 
justly  toward  all  men,  and  that  we  discharge,  with  an  eye  to  the 
glory  of  God,  all  the  christian  and  moral  duties. 

We  must  repent  of  all  our  sins,  fly  to  Christ,  receive  him  by 
faith,  and  live  a  life  of  holy  obedience. 

But  poor,  unconverted  sinners  consider  themselves  a  kind  of 
free  and  independent  beings,  under  no  obligations  to  obey  the 
commands  of  God.  Say  they.  We  make  no  pretensions  to  re- 
ligion, therefore,  we  may  do  as  we  please;  we  may  swear,  get 
drunk  and  fight;  we  may  dance,  break  the  Sabbath  and  gamble, 
without  being  guilty    of  any   crime.     Alas!  you  err;  you  are 


OF  EARLY  PIETY.  163 

under  a  fatal  mistake.  By  such  conduct,  you  spit  venom  in  the 
face  of  the  Ahnighty,  and  set  Jehovah  at  defiance.  Have  you 
forgotten  his  omnipotence?  tliat  he  is  the  rightful  Sovereign  of 
the  Universe?  He  gave  you  being;  he  preserves  you;  he  has 
purchased  you  with  his  own  blood;  therefore,  liis  right  to  your 
services — to  your  implicit  obedience  of  all  his  commands,  is  un- 
questionable. 

But  whence  the  necessity  of  attending  to  this  command  nozc, 
in  the  days  of  youth  ?  Would  it  not  answer  just  as  well  when 
married  and  settled,  or  when  grown  old  and  incapable  of  enjoy- 
ing the  pleasures  of  this  world?  No,  ray  friends.  In  youth 
the  heart  is  tender — the  operations  of  the  Spirit  arc  felt  most 
powerfully;  and  then  to  take  up  the  cross  and  follow  Jesus,  is 
not  so  difficult  a  task,  as  when  you  have  come  to  manhood,  and 
business  crowds  upon  you;  when  the  affairs  of  this  life  engage 
your  whole  attention;  when  your  heart  has  become  hard  through 
the  deceitfulness  of  sin;  when  your  conscience  has  grow'n  cal- 
lous to  the  calls  of  the  Spirit;  when  you  no  longer  hear  with  in- 
terest the  invitations  of  tne  gospel.  In  old  age,  men  are  com- 
monly so  buried  in  iniquity,  that  there  is  little  hope  of  repen- 
tance. 

III.  Enforce  obedience  to  the  command. 

To  remember  your  Creator,  is  an  all  important  matter,  and 
upon  your  obedience  to  the  divine  injunction  depends  your 
soul's  salvation  from  everlasting  torment  in  the  flames  of  hell. 

By  God  you  were  created.  He  made  you  intelligent  and 
reasonable,  capable  of  enjoying  happiness  in  time  and  through- 
out eternity.  His  goodness  unto  you  has  been  manifested  by  his 
continual  preservation  of  you.  When  in  helpless  infancy  he 
pi'ovidedyou  a  protector,  he  watched  over  you  for  good,  though 
perhaps  deprived  of  all  earthly  friends,  all  comfort  from  those 
around,  his  Spirit  has  visited  and  comforted  you. 

By  transgression  of  the  law  all  mankind  were  involved  in 
misery  and  sin.  They  rebelled  against  their  righteous  Lord; 
refused  to  serve  him ;  yielded  themselves  w^illing  SLil)jects  to  the 
dominion  of  his  enemy,  the  Devil ;  wrought  his  will  and  did  all 
his  pleasure.  But  the  Lord,  notwithstanding  the  wickedness  of 
man,  though  his  thoughts  were  evil  and  that  continually,  did  not 
forget  the  workmanship  of  his  hands.  He  pitied  our  world,  and 
devised  means  whereby  he  might  retrieve  man  from  his  lost  es- 
tate. Salvation  was  purchased  by  the  humiliation  of  his  Son. 
Though  Lord  of  Glory,  such  w-as  his  love  to  man,  that  he  became 
flesh  and  dwelt  among  us;  made  himself  a  servant;  w^as  reviled, 
persecuted  and  rejected  of  those  whose  salvation  he  came  to 
effect.  Yea,  he  suffered  himself  to  be  scourged,  mocked  and 
treated  with  all  manner  of  indignities,  and,  at  length,  he  was 
nailed  to  the  cross,  piorced  wilh  wounds,  and  expired  in  unulter- 


164  ON  THE  IMPORTANCE 

able  agony.  Has  he  done  all  this?  and  will  you  not  remember 
your  Creator?  Will  yon  not  devote  to  him  the  strength  and 
vigor  of  your  youth? 

But,  my  young  friends,  this  is  not  all.  You  feast  daily  upon 
his  bounty,  you  wallow  in  the  fatness  of  his  creatures;  you  live 
in  the  enjoyment  of  all  the  means  of  grace;  you  have  his  word; 
you  have  been  taught  to  peruse  it,  and  follow  its  precepts;  you 
hear  his  gospel;  you  have  warnings  of  your  danger  without 
number;  you  are  blessed  with  health,  and,  indeed,  with  all  that 
heart  could  wish.  But  yet  you  forget  God;  continue  in  diso- 
bedience to  his  commandments;  roll  sin,  like  a  svv'eet  morsel, 
under  your  tongues ;  and  postpone  your  reformation  till  a  more 
advanced  period  of  life.  Know  you  not  that  it  is  declared  in 
his  word,  "iYoz/?  is  the  accepted  time;  behold  now  is  the  day  of  sal- 
vation.'''* 

Youth  is  the  time  of  life  which  seems  to  be  particularly  favor- 
ed by  the  Almighty.  Many  are  the  promises  that  he  has  made 
to  young  persons.  '■'They  that  seek  me  early  shall  find  me" — "/ 
Villi  remember  my  covenant  icith  thee  in  the  days  of  thy  youth^ 
and  Iivill  establish  unto  thee  an  everlasting  covenant.''''  Has  God 
thus  particularly  regarded  you?  Has  he  offered  you  so  many 
inducements?  Has  he  done  so  much  for  you?  Has  he  mani- 
fested so  great  an  interest  in  your  welfare?  Has  he  bestowed  so 
many  inestimable  blessings  upon  you?  Has  he  blessed  you  with 
a  goodly  inheritance  in  this  highly  favored  land,  where  you  live 
protected  by  wholesome  laws,  in  the  full  enjoyment  of  the 
rights  of  man?  Then  will  you  not,  in  token  of  gratitude  for 
these  manifold  favors,  be  induced  to  ^'Remember  your  Creator  in 
the  days  of  your  youth  ?" 

Consider  that,  while  you  are  thus  blessed,  millions  on  the 
earth  are  oppressed,  subjected  to  the  tyranny  of  capricious  mon- 
archs;  while  you  enjoy  the  sunshine  of  the  gospel,  and  have  the 
Will  of  the  Almighty  JRuler  of  the  Universe  made  known  unto 
you — so  many  of  the  nations  of  the  earth  are  blinded  by  the 
thick  mists  of  ignorance,  and  know  not  God.  When  you  vio- 
late the  divine  commandments,  mark  how  the  monitor  within 
your  breast  reproves  you.  Tutored  by  the  precepts  of  God, 
your  conscience  warns  you  of  your  danger.  But  the  poor 
heathen  goes  headlong  in  the  dark,  impenetrable  gloom,  with 
naught  to  guide  him  but  the  dim  light  of  nature.  And  now,  my 
friends,  can  you,  after  all  that  God  has  done  for  you,  still  con- 
tinue in  rebellion  against  him?  Will  you  put  him  from  you? 
Will  you  despise  his  warnings?  Will  you  resist  his  calls? — 
Will  you  forget  him?  Or,  will  you  not  rather  remember  your 
Creator?  Confide  in  your  Redeemer;  repent  speedily  of  your 
sins;  reform  your  lives,  and  walk  in  all  the  commands  of  God 
blameless;  '•'•Remember  now  thy  Creator  in  the  days  of  thy  youth  f' 


OF    EARLY    PIETY.  l65 

defer  it  not;  put  not  off  the  time  of  youi'  return  to  your  duty; 
delay  not,  I  charge  you,  when  God  says,  ^''Noiu.^^  Dare  you 
thus  treat  the  Omnipotent,  whose  vengeance  is  swift  to  pursue 
those  who  mock  him?  Beware,  lest  you  harden  your  hearts; 
lest  you  provoke  the  withdi'awal  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  "3fy 
Spirit,''''  says  God,  '•''shall  not  always  strive  with  man'''' — '•'•Ephraim 
is  joined  to  idols;  let  him  alone.''''  Be  wise,  and  act  decisively 
in  this  important  matter;  your  happiness  in  life  and  throughout 
eternity  depends  upon  your  conduct?  Do  not  rashly  postpone 
your  decision;  make  the  prudent  and  judicious  choice.  If  you 
disregard  these  things;  if  you  refuse  Christ,  and  reject  the  invi- 
tations of  the  Lord,  he  will  surely  punish  you.  In  time,  you 
siiall  suffer  misery,  and  throughout  eternity  you  must  bear  the 
unmixed  wrath  of  God;  you  shall  enjoy  no  peace;  horror  and 
the  dread  of  punishment  shall  torment  you:  life  shall  afford  you 
no  solid  comfort,  and  death  shall  come  upon  you  unexpectedly, 
and  find  you  unprepared  to  stand  before  the  Judge  of  all  the 
Earth. 

Remember,  that  the  sinner,  who  believeth  not  in  Christ,  shall 
be  damned,  "i/c  that  believeth  not  on  the  Son,  shall  not  see  life; 
hut  the  wrath  of  God  ahideth  on  him."'  The  hottest  hell,  the 
heaviest  damnation  awaits  the  gospel-slighter,  who  tramples  un- 
der foot  the  blood  of  the  Son  of  God,  who  rejects  the  overtures 
of  mercy. 

Do  you  feel  prepared  to  die — to  leave  this  world  and  go  to  an 
unknown  region  beyond  the  grave?  Do  you  feel  that  bliss  eter- 
nal would  be  yonrs  were  you  called  hence?  Or,  rather,  are 
there  not  opprehensions  of  danger — forebodings  of  destruction? 
Would  you  escape  the  fear  of  death — would  you  fly  from  i-uin 
and  death — would  you  shun  the  wrath  of  an  offended  God? 
Obey  the  command;  ^'Remember  now  thy  Creator,  in  the  days 
of  thy  youth.'''' 

Promise  not  yourselves  long  life:  think  not  that  you  will  at- 
tain to  great  age,  and  that  you  have  plenty  of  time,  and  it  is 
not  worth  while  to  be  in  a  hurry  about  this  matter.  But, 
friends,  life  is  short  and  very  uncertain.  In  a  moment,  when 
you  suspect  no  harm,  death  will  come  upon  you.  Beware, 
lest  this  night  thy  souls  be  required  of  you.  Boast  not, 
yourselves,  of  to-morrow,  for  you  know  not  what  a  day  may 
bring  forth.  Now  is  the  accepted  time — delay  is  dangerous. 
^'Procrastination  is  the  theif  of  time.''''  Before  you  are  again 
called  upon  to  give  this  all  important  matter  your  serious  and 
solemn  attention,  death  may  come  upon  you.  Then,  alas!  it 
will  be  too  late  for  repentance — your  soul  will  be  hurried  into 
eternity,  and  be  enveloped  forever  in  the  flames  of  hell;  then 
will  the  storm  of  Jehovah "'s  vengeance  beat  upon  your  naked 
soul;  then  will  you  know  the  piiins  and  miseries  of  eternal  pun- 


166  ON    THE     IMPORTANCE 

ishment;  and  you  will  lament,  in  bitter  anguish,  your  neglect  of 
the  invitations  of  mercy.  But  would  you  escape  the  groans  of 
the  damned,  the  unutterable  torments  of  hell,  ^^Remembe?-  now 
thy  Creator  in  the  days  of  thy  youth. 

Young  people  fancy,  that  when  they  obtain  religion,  they  en- 
ter upon  a  miserable  existence;  that  they  would  be  ruined  and 
lost.  What  a  sad  mistake !  There  is  no  happiness,  no  pleasure, 
no  satisfaction,  to  be  found  any  where  but  in  the  religion  of 
Jesus.  Dear  young  friends,  remember  your  Creator  in  the  days 
of  your  youth;  then  you  will  declare  there  is  no  happiness  to  be 
compared  to  a  view  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus; 
then  you  will  feel  a  Saviour's  love  shed  abroad  in  your  hearts; 
you  shall  enjoy  the  dawn  of  heaven,  the  first  fruits  of  the  bless- 
edness of  the  celestial  Paradise.  Here  you  shall  feed  upon 
peace  of  conscience  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost.  And  when 
death  shall  unloose  the  heavy  shackles  of  the  body  and  liberate 
the  soul,  you  shall  fly  home  to  glory;  you  shall  receive  the  in- 
heritance prepared  for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the  world; 
you  shall  dwell  in  the  presence  of  your  heavenly  Father;  sor- 
row shall  forever  flee  from  you,  and  all  tears  shall  be  wiped 
from  your  eyes;  your  shall  enjoy  perfect  and  unalloyed  bliss 
throughout  the  never  ending  ages  of  Eternity. 


SERMON     XVII. 


CHRIST  HAS  DONE  ALL  THINGS  WELL. 


A7id  were  beyond  measure  astonished^  sayings  He  hath  done  all 


things  well. — Mark  vii.   37. 


In  this  chapter,  we  have  an  account  of  two  miracles  perform- 
ed by  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  The  most  remarkable  of  which, 
the  perfect  cure  of  a  deaf  and  dumb  man,  demands  our  partic- 
ular attention. 

'•^  And  he  took  him  aside  from  the  7nultitude,  and  put  his  Jingers 
into  his  ears^  and  he  spit,  and  touched  his  tongue.'''' — Prom  which 
we  may  learn  that  the  Lord  condescends  to  use  means  in  heal- 
ing the  diseases  of  the  soul.  Although  in  working  this  miracle 
there  is  clearly  no  natural  connection  between  the  means  used 
and  the  end  to  be  produced,  yet  this  is  the  ordinary  method  by 
which  he  works;  and,  therefore,  in  obedience  to  the  divine  com- 
mand, we  must  wait  for  his  blessing  in  the  use  of  means.  In 
fasting  and  prayer  there  is  nothing  which  can  convert  the  soul, 
or  engage  the  favor  of  God,  any  more  than  spitting  and  touch- 
ing the  tongue  of  the  dumb  could  remove  the  impediment  with- 
out the  exercise  of  Almighty  Power. 

After  having  performed  this  miracle,  Jesus  gave  his  followers 
convincing  proof  of  his  humility  and  lowliness  of  mind. — 
Though  he  had  wa-ought  a  work  which  proved  him  to  be  God, 
yet,  so  far  from  wishing  his  fame  to  be  sounded  abroad,  "  he 
chai'ged  them  that  they  sliould  tell  no  man.''''  But  they  could  not 
conceal  what  had  been  done.  Wherever  the  healing  grace  of 
God  is  felt,  the  tongue  is  loose  to  proclaim  the  wonders  of  re- 
deming  love — to  tell  others  what  the  Lord  has  done  for  their 
souls.  On  this  occaasion,  so  filled  were  their  souls  with  a  sense 
of  the  love  and  goodness  of  Jesus,  that  they  published  him 
abroad;  and  this  is  always  the  effect  of  a  revalation  of  the  di- 
vine glory  to  the  soul. 


168  CHRIST    HAS    DONK 

Christ  no  sooner  discoveres  himself  to  Andrew,  than  he  runs 
to  his  brother  Simon  with  this  joyful  news:  '•'■fVe  have  found  the 
Messias,  luhich  is,  being  interpreted,  the  Christ.'^''  No  sooner  does 
Christ  say  unto  Phillip,  ^^Fotlow  772c,"  than  he  '•'•Jlndeth  Nathaniel, 
andsaith  unto  him,  we  have  found  Jam  of  whom  Moses  in  the  law, 
and  the  Prophets,  did  zcrite,  Jesus  of  Nazareth,''''  When  he 
manifests  himself  to  the  two  disciples,  going  from  Emmaus,  in 
the  breaking  of  bread,  immediately  they  rise  and  return  in 
haste  to  Jerusalem,  that  they  may  carry  the  glad  tidings  to  their 
brethren.  Why  is  it  that  converted  sinners  must  talk  of  Christ, 
like  David,  tell  those  who  love  the  Lord,  what  he  has  done  for 
their  souls?  Out  of  the  abundance  of  the  heart,  the  mouth 
speaketh.  They  have  such  clear  views  of  his  personal  glory; 
they  see  such  an  excellency  and  beauty  in  the  whole  plan  of 
redemption;  they  are  so  full  of  the  love  of  God,  that  the  are 
'''•astonished  beyond  measure,''^  and  crv,  "ffe  hath  done  all  things 
well:' 

In  the  illustration  of  this  subject,  we  shall — 

Show  that  Christ  hath  done  all  things  well. 

And  here  we  shall  consider  wliat  it  is  that  determines  the 
quality  of  the  act  of  a  moral  agent.  To  be  right,  every  action 
must  be  exactly  agreeable  to  the  will  of  God.  As  Jesus  was 
essentially  holy  and  good,  all  his  actions  must  have  been  pure 
and  undefiled.  It  was  his  meat  and  drink  to  do  the  will  of  his 
heavenly  Father. 

The  motive  to  every  action  must  be  just.  Every  act  of 
God  himself,  and,  indeed,  of  all  holy  beings,  originates  in  the 
same  desigii.  God  acts  from  a  supreme  love  to  himself,  and 
since  he  is  the  essence  of  all  perfection  and  excellence,  in  all 
his  conduct  he  only  designs  the  advancement  of  his  own  infi- 
nite glory. 

All  holy  beings  act  from  a  principle  of  supreme  love  to  God, 
and  consequently  desire  the  advancement  of  his  glory.  In 
this  respect,  all  the  mediatorial  conduct  of  Jesus  was  right. 
The  law  of  God  was  his  delight.  "Lo,  /  come:  in  the  volume 
of  the  book  it  is  ivritten  of  -me,  I  delight  to  do  thy  will,  O  God: 
yea,  thy  laio  is  loithin  my  heart.''''  All  his  actions  proceeded  from 
pure  love  to  God,  and  were  designed  to  glorify  the  divine  per- 
fections. A  proof  of  the  fact  we  have  in  the  context  and  in 
many  others.  He  performs  miracles  which  demonstrate  the 
divinity  and  glory  of  his  person:  and  such  is  his  humility  and 
self-denial,  that  lie  charges  the  witnesses  of  his  works  to  tell  no 
man.  When  the  people  would  have  taken  him  by  force  and 
made  him  King,  he  escapes  from  them  privately  and  hides  him- 
self; and,  for  this  reason,  his  kingdom  was  not  of  this  world, 
but  spiritual;  he  sought  not  his  own  gloiy,  but  the  infinite  glory 
of  God. 


ALL    THINGS    WELL.  169 

All  good  actions  tend  to  manifest  the  perfections  of  the  Deity. 
In  this  respect,  the  blessed  Jesus  did  all  things  well.  In  the  re- 
demption of  man,  the  divine  glory  shines  with  unrivalled  splen- 
dor. The  works  of  Providence  declare  the  being  and  power 
of  God;  but  his  goodness  and  wisdom  are  most  gloriously  dis- 
played in  the  salvation  of  lost  and  ruined  man. 

But  we  will  come  more  closely  to  the  subject,  and  show  in  a 
few  particulars  that  Jesus  hath  done  all  things  well.  In  the 
creation  of  the  world  he  did  all  things  well.  In  this  great  event, 
the  wisdom,  power  and  goodness  of  God,  are  clearly  exhibited. 
He  brings  into  being  various  ranks  of  intelligent  creatures,  ca- 
pable of  knowing  and  enjoying  him.  He  upholds  them  and 
provides  for  their  comfort  and  support;  and  he  also  gives  them 
a  holy  law  for  their  direction  and  government,  which,  in  all  re- 
spects, shows  forth  the  holiness  and  justice,  the  dignity  and  sove- 
reignty of  the  great  Creator. 

But  we  designed  to  observe  the  divine  conduct  in  the  plan  of 
redemption  most  particularly — and  here  we  shall  begin. 

1st.  With  his  gracious  interposition  in  the  covenant  of  re- 
demption, infinite  ages  before  the  existence  of  the  world — when 
he  undertook  to  pay  the  price  of  sinners'  ransom  and  glorify 
the  divine  attributes  in  their  complete  and  e'.ernal  salvation. 
From  all  eternity,  Jehovah  beheld  the  family  of  Adam  in  the 
ruins  of  their  fallen  state,  weltering  in  their  blood  and  gore,  ex- 
posed, in  the  open  field  of  depravity,  to  the  wrath  of  God  and 
the  torments  of  hell.  And  here,  for  once,  the  attributes  of  the 
Deity  seem  to  clash.  Infinite  love  and  mercy  plead  for  the 
sinner's  deliverance.  Holiness,  truth  and  justice  demand  full 
satisfaction  for  every  sin,  and  cry  for  the  blood  of  the  guilty; 
and  they  will  not  be  appeased,  unles  a  plan  is  devised  by  which 
the  law  may  be  magnified  and  made  honorable,  and  the  sovereign- 
ty of  the  lawgiver  vindicated.  All  the  perfections  of  God  must 
be  reconciled  and  glorified  in  the  redemption  of  lost  sinners. 
But  in  what  manner  this  could  be  affected,  none  but  Jehovah 
could  decide.  All  the  wisdom  of  the  shining  hosts  above  com- 
bined could  not  have  formed  a  plan  adequate  to  the  grand  de- 
s'gn,  nor  was  their  love  for  man  and  their  compassion  for  his 
sufferings  sufficient  for  so  great  an  undertaking:  for,  surely, 
they  would  not  voluntarily  submit  to  endure  the  infinite  wrath  of 
an  angry  God  due  to  the  sins  of  the  whole  elect  world.  But 
omnipotent  power  and  almighty  strength  were  necessary  to 
bear  the  weight  of  divine  vengeance,  which  would  have  sunk 
all  the  angels  and  archangels  in  glory  down  to  eternal  dark- 
ness and  despair.  Therefore,  none  but  a  divine  person,  infi- 
nite in  love  and  of  almighty  power,  was  adequate  to  the  task. 
Help  is  laid  upon  one  that  is  mighty  to  save.  ^''For  God  so 
lotted  the  world  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever 

24 


170  CHEIST    HAS     DONE 

believetli  in  him  should  not  perish^  but  have  everlasting  life.*^ — 
Jesus,  the  brightness  of  the  Father's  glory,  and  the  image  of 
his  person,  takes  upon  him  to  stand  surety  and  substitute  for  the 
sinner,  engages  to  assume  our  nature,  to  pay  man's  ransom  with 
his  own  precious  blood,  and  satisfy  every  claim  of  divine  justice. 
Now,  O,  believer,  you  have  felt  the  pardon  of  sin ;  the  blood  of 
Jesus  has  been  savingly  applied  to  your  soul.  Look  back  on 
the  early  counsels  of  eternity;  view  the  stabilit)^  of  the  ever- 
lasting covenant  of  peace ;  behold  the  beauty  and  sufficiency  of 
the  great  plan  of  salvation;  and  will  not  your  heart,  filled  with 
wonder  and  astonishment,  cry  out,  "  He  hath  done  all  things 
well:' 

2dly.  It  will  appear  that  Christ  "  hath  done  all  things  well,''' 
if  we  consider  the  glorious,  everlasting  righteousness  which  he 
has  wrought  out  for  sinners,  by  his  active  and  passive  obedence. 
Mankind,  standing  in  the  relation  of  creatures  to  God,  their 
Creator  and  Lawgiver,  were  bound  to  render  unto  him  the  most 
perfect  obedience — to  submit  implicitly  to  all  the  laws  of  the  di- 
vine government,  and,  as  fallen  sinners,  they  should  have  suffer- 
ed the  just  penalty  incurred  by  the  infraction  of  the  divine  law. 
But,  as  man  is  dead  in  trespasses  and  in  sin,  he  is  utterly  dis- 
qualified to  render  perfect  obedience,  or  to  free  himself  from 
the  penalty  of  the  law;  for,  as  sin  is  an  infinite  evil,  and,  conse- 
quently, merits  infinite  punishment,  it  follows  that  finite  beings 
could  not  satisfy  justice  otherwise  than  by  suffering  infinite  and 
eternal  punishment.  Therefore,  not  one  of  Adam's  race  could 
have  been  saved,  unless  a  perfect,  law-fufilling  righteousness  was 
provided,  including  an  obedience  commesurate  with  the  de- 
mands of  God's  holy  law,  and  a  complete  atonement  for  every 
sin.  Such  a  righteousness  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  has  wrought 
out;  for  though  he  was,  from  all  eternity,  "m  the  form  of  God,'''' 
and  Hhought  it  not  robbery  to  be  equal  with  God;'"  yet  he  ^^made 
himself  of  no  reputation,  and  took  upon  him  the  form  of  a  ser- 
vant, and  was  made  in  the  likeness  of  men;  and  being  found  in 
fashion  as  a  man,  he  humbled  himself  and  became  obedient  unto 
death,  even  the  death  of  the  cross.''  Yea,  he  hath  procured  a 
righteousness  equal  to  the  claims  of  the  law;  in  which  the  at- 
tributes of  Deity  are  glorified;  with  which  God  the  Father  is 
well  pleased;  through  which  he  can  be  just,  and  save  the  ungod- 
ly sinner  who  believes  on  Jesus;  and  as  it  has  stood  the  inspec- 
tion of  inflexible  justice,  and  has  received  Jehovah's  eternal  ap- 
porbation,  upon  it  the  sinner  may  venture  his  salvation,  and  be 
justified  in  the  sight  of  a  holy  God. 

When  the  believer  reflects  upon  this  atoning  righteousness, 
its  glory  and  suitableness,  and  perceives  his  salvation  through 


ALL    THINGS    WF.LL.  271 

it,  firm  and  secure  as  the  pillars  of  heaven,  his  soul  leaps  for  joy, 
and,  with  wonder  and  astonishment,  he  proclaims  that  Jesus 
^^hath  done  all  things  welW'' 

3dly.  Christ  does  all  things  well,  when  he  makes  the  deaf  to 
hear  and  the  dumb  to  speak.  When  by  his  Word  and  Spirit  he 
reaches  the  hardened  heart  of  the  sinner;  when  he  awakens 
him  out  of  the  dead  sleep  of  sin  and  carnal  security;  drives 
him  from  all  his  refuges  of  lies;  strips  him  of  his  own  righteous- 
ness, and  finally  shuts  him  up  to  the  necessity  of  believing; — 
when  he  strikes  off  the  iron  bolts  of  unbelief,  opens  the  heart, 
and  reveals  his  ineflable  glory  to  the  soul,  whereby  he  wins  the 
affections,  and  bows  the  will  in  sweet  subjection  to  his  law  and 
government;  and  when  the  believing  sinner  feels  the  blood  of 
Jesus  applied  to  his  conscience,  communicating  a  sense  of  par- 
don, attended  with  peace  unspeakable;  when  he  has  within  his 
breast  the  witness  of  the  Spirit,  and  reads  his  title  to  a  heanven- 
ly  inheritance — then,  indeed,  is  he  astonished  beyond  measure, 
saying,  "iTe  hath  done  all  things  welW''  The  whole  plan  of  sal- 
vation appears  so  excellent,  so  worthy  of  a  God,  and  yet  so 
suitable  to  his  condition,  that  he  prefers  it  above  any  other  pos- 
sible plan,  and  rejoices  to  be  nothing,  that  Christ  may  be  all 
in  all. 

The  Divine  Mediator  displays  the  power  and  glory  of  his 
grace  in  conversion,  by  changing  the  temper  and  disposition  of 
the  heart.  Alexander,  C^sar  and  Marlborough  conquered  na- 
tions and  forced  thousands  into  obedience;  but  they  could  not 
subdue  the  will;  firm  and  untrammelled,  she  reigned  the  unri- 
valled queen  of  the  soul.  But  the  proudest  sinners,  the  most 
stubborn  rebbels,  who  are  overcome  by  the  power  and  grace  of 
the  Redeemer,  aie  sweetly  draw^i  by  their  own  free  and  hearty 
consent.  No  sooner  do  they  obtain  a  saving  view  of  Christ, 
than  they  leave  all  and  follow  him.  Those  who  are  represented 
in  Scripture  as  Serpents,  become  as  innocent  as  the  lamb  and  as 
harmless  as  the  dove;  and  that  infernal  disposition  of  the  Devil, 
which  possessed  the  soul  is  rooted  out,  and  a  holy  principle  im- 
planted, which  works  by  love,  and  purifies  the  heart,  and  over- 
comes the  world. 

4thly.  That  he  hath  done  all  things  well,  is  manifested  in  the 
trials,  difficulties  and  afl[lictions  of  the  children  of  God,  who  are 
very  apt  to  prescribe  for  the  Lord,  to  lay  out  for  themselves  an 
easy,  pleasant  passage  to  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  But  infinite 
wisdom  knows  what  is  best  calculated  to  prepare  them  for  thier 
inheritance.  Therefore,  when  tribulations  are  sent,  they  are 
designed  to  refine  and  fit  them  to  become  vessels  of  mercy  for 
that  '•^house  not  made  with  hands^  eternal  in  the  heavens.''''  By  this 
means,  their  affections  are  weaned  from  the  world;  they  are 
convinced  more  and  more  of  the  emptiness  of  all  earthly  enjoy- 


172  CHRIST    HAS    DONE 

ments;  they  are  led  to  seek  a  better  country,  and  their  hearts 
incline  to  submit  to  the  sovereignty  of  God  and  acquiesce  in  his 
will.  Although,  for  the  present,  all  things  appear  dark  and 
gloomy  as  midnight,  and  they  cannot  comprehend  the  mysteri- 
ous conduct  of  Jehovah,  whose  ways  are  in  the  deep  and  whose 
paths  are  in  the  mighty  waters;  yet  when  the  designs  of  infinite 
wisdom  are  accomplished,  the  event  ever  proves  that  "Jie  hath 
done  all  things  weUf  that  in  all  his  conduct  towards  them  he 
consulted  their  true  interest. 

80  Jacob,  when  his  beloved  son  Joseph  is  snatched  from  him 
and  sold  into  a  foreign  country,  very  readily  believes  him  to  be 
dead,  denies  himself  all  comfort,  and  declares  "  /  will  go  doxon 
into  the  grave  unto  my  son  mourning.''''  Yet  when  the  deep 
mystery  of  Providence  is  unraveled  by  Joseph's  promotion  to 
honor  in  Egypt;  when,  as  governor  of  the  land,  he  saves  his 
father's  household  from  the  miseries  of  famine,  Jacob  acknowl- 
edges that  his  God  had  done  all  things  well. 

In  like  manner  the  beloved  disciples  of  Christ,  when  their 
Lord  was  crucified  and  laid  in  the  grave,  not  rightly  understand- 
ing the  deep  designs  of  Omniscience,  were  much  distressed  by 
this  dispensation.  "T4^e  trusted^''  said  they,  '•''that  it  had  been  he 
lohich  should,  have  redeemed  Israel.''''  But  when  he  meets  with 
them  after  his  resurrection,  and  opens  their  understandings  by 
explaining  the  spiritual  meaning  of  the  scriptures,  then,  with 
astonishment,  they  see  that  Jesus  hath  done  all  things  well. 

To  this  we  may  add — That  the  hiding  of  God's  reconciled 
countenance  from  his  people,  their  painful  struggle  with  the  in- 
bred corruption  of  the  heart,  together  with  the  many  dreadful 
attacks  of  their  archenemy,  the  Devil,  are  so  overruled  by  the 
divine  wisdom  and  goodness,  as  to  result  in  the  eternal  welfare 
of  their  souls.  By  these  means,  the  pridpi  of  their  heart  is  sub- 
dued their  legality  and  self-confidence  destroyed,  their  souls  are 
brought  to  rely  continually  by  faith  upon  Christ,  and  they  expe- 
rience the  fulfilment  of  the  promise  "T/iai  all  things  shall  work 
together  for  good  to  them  that  love  God.''"'  The  light  afflictions  of  the 
people  of  God  in  this  world,  which  are  but  for  a  moment,  work 
out  for  them  a  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory. 

Lastly.  In  the  general  judgment,  when  Christ  shall  come  in 
clouds,  arrayed  in  all  the  pomp  and  grandeur  of  the  Deity,  to 
judge  the  quick  and  dead,  it  shall  appear  to  all  rational  intelli- 
gences, that  "jFZe  hath  done  all  things  well.''''  The  heaven,  earth 
and  hell,  shall  witness  the  justice  of  his  conduct  in  dooming  the 
ungodly  to  eternal  damnation.  Then  every  sin  of  thought  and 
deed,  with  every  conviction  they  have  slighted,  every  motion  of 
God's  Spirit  they  have  quenched,  and  every  offer  of  mercy  they 
have  rejected,  shall  be  exposed  to  the  view  of  an.  assembled 
universe.     And  angels,  men  and  devils,  when  the  Eternal  pro- 


ALI.    THINGS    WELL.  173^ 

nounces  the  dreadful  and  irrevocable  sentence,  ''''Depart  ye 
cursed  into  everlasting  ^re,"  shall  testisy  that  "iZe  hath  done  all 
things  u'c//."  On  the  other  hand,  the  equity  and  justice  of  God 
shall  appear  in  the  justification  of  the  elect  world.  Then  the 
followers  of  Jesus,  the  dear-bought  travail  of  his  soul,  who  cost 
him  the  groans  and  bloody  sweat  of  Gethsemane,  the  dying  ago- 
nies of  Calvary,  shall  be  clad  with  a  robe  of  righteousness. — 
When  the  law  and  justice  present  their  claims  and  demaiid  sat- 
isfaction, the  Redeemer  shall  produce  his  atoning,  law-fulfilling 
righteousness  \vhich  covers  the  law  of  God,  and  shall  vindicate 
the  divine  glory  in  the  redemption  of  man.  Then  all  the  revil- 
ings  and  reproaches,  and  false  charges,  of  the  wicked,  shall  be 
wiped  away,  whilst  Christ,  their  beloved  friend  and  elder  brother, 
will  ascend  to  heaven  with  the  ransomed,  who  shall  proclaim 
throughout  Eternity,  "Z7e  hath  done  all  things  well,'''' 


SERMON  XVITI. 


— «^2 
A    SACRAMENTAL,     MEDITATION. 


How  dreadful  is  this  place!      This  is  none  other  but  the  house 
of  God^  and  this  the  gate  of  heaven. — Genesis,  xxviii.   17. 


In  this  chapter  we  have  an  account  of  a  remarkable  event  in 
tb.e  history  of  the  patriarch  Jacob,  when,  after  having  obtained 
the  blessing,  he  fled  from  tlie  rage  of  his  brother  Esau.  From 
the  first  ages  of  the  world  to  the  present  day,  the  seed  of  the 
serpent  has  persecuted  the  seed  of  the  woman.  The  patriarch, 
driven  from  his  father's  house,  deprived  of  the  presence  of  his 
affectionate  parents,  was  compelled  to  seek  refuge  in  a  foreign 
land,  while  upon  his  journey  he  is  overtaken  by  the  night,  desti- 
tute of  a  house  to  shelter  him  from  the  weather,  and  his  bed  the 
cold  ground,  his  pillow  a  stone,  and  his  covering  the  starry  skies. 
But  when  the  children  of  God  are  in  the  most  forlorn  situation, 
destitute  of  a  home,  and  deprived  of  the  society  of  their  dear- 
est friends,  they  often  experience  sweet  comforts,  of  which  the 
unconverted  are  ignorant,  and,  although  they  may  be  stripped 
of  all  earthly  possessions,  yet  nothing  can  separate  them  from  the 
love  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus,  for  his  promise  is,  "ii/e  shall  deliver 
thee  in  six  troubles;  yea,  in  seven  there  shall  no  evil  touch  thee'''' — 
^''When  thou  passest  through  the  waters,  I  mill  be  ivith  thee;  and 
Ihrozigh  the  rivers,  they  shall  not  overflozv  thee;  zvhen  thou  waJkest 
through  the  fire,  thou  shalt  not  he  burned;  neither  shall  the  flame 
kindle  upon  thee.''''  When  Jacob,  far  removed  from  the  haunts 
of  men,  lay  on  the  cold  ground,  God  was  pleased  to  bless  him 
with  a  visit,  and,  in  a  vision  of  the  night,  he  saw  heaven  opened: 
^^And  behold  «  ladder  set  upon  the  earth,  and  the  top  of  it  reached 
to  hca.ven;  and  behold  the  angels  of  God  ascending  and,  descend- 
ing on  it;  and,  behold,  the  Lord  stood  above  it,  and  said,  lam 
the  Lot^d  God  of  Abraham  thy  father,  and  the  God  of  Isaac;  the 
land  iuherein  thou  liest,  to  the  will  I  give  it,  and  to  thy  seed.  And 
thy  seed  shall  be  as  the  dust  of  the  earth;  and  thou  shalt  spread 
abroad  to  lh>>  ivest,  and  to  the  east,  and  to  the  north,  and  to  the  south , 


A    SACRAMENEAL    MEDITATION.  175 

and  in  tliee^  and  in  Uuj  seed,  shall  all  the  families  of  the  earth  be 
blessed.-''  When  the  humble  beUever  views  the  glory  of  God  as 
it  shines  m  the  face  of  Christ,  he  sinks  into  the  dust  with  shame 
and  self-loathing,  and  his  language  is,  ^^I  have  heard  of  thee  by  the 
hea?'ing  of  the  ear;  but  noio  mine  eye  seelh  thee;  M'herefore,  /  ab- 
hor myself  in  dust  and  ashes.''''  "JZozo  dreadful  is  this  place! — 
this  is  none  other  but  the  house  of  God,  and  this  is  the  gate  of 
heaven.'''' 

Perhaps  the  greatest  difficulty  in  the  context  is  the  similitude 
of  the  ladder,  which,  according  to  the  opinions  of  the  most  ap- 
proved divines,  was  a  representation  of  the  incarnation  of  the 
Son  of  God,  or  of  the  union  of  the  divine  and  human  natures  in 
the  person  of  Emanuel ;  and  this  agrees  with  the  declaration  of 
our  Lord  himself,  "  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  hereafter,  ye 
shall  see  heaven  open,  and  the  angels  of  God  ascending  and  de- 
scending upon  the  Son  of  Man.''''  The  ladder  reached  from 
heaven  to  the  earth,  and  opened  a  communication  fi'om  the  one 
to  the  other.  So,  by  the  incarnation  of  the  Son  God,  time  and 
eternity  are  joined  together;  the  omnipotence  of  God  and  the 
weakness  of  man  are  united  in  one;  and,  thereby,  a  door  is 
opened  to  lost  sinners  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  the  medi- 
um of  communion  between  God  and  man.  God  addressed  Ja- 
cob in  words  of  peace  from  the  top  of  the  ladder;  and  God  is  in 
Christ  reconciling  the  world  to  himself,  through  whom  he  offers 
guilty  sinners  pardon  and  eternal  life.  When  Jacob  awoke 
from  sleep,  he  had  lively  impressions  of  this  glorious  vision; 
and,  no  doubt,  his  soul  was  sweetly  agitated  with  a  sense  of  the 
love  and  goodness  of  God;  and,  at  the  same  time,  he  had  clear 
views  of  his  own  unworthiness;  and  the  thought  of  what  he 
had  seen  and  felt,  fills  his  mind  with  fear  and  awe :  "  J.wtZ  he  said^ 
surely  the  Lord  is  in  this  place,  and  I  kneiv  it  not;  and  he  was 
afraid,  and  said,  how  dreadful  is  this  place!  this  is  none  other  but 
the  house  of  God,  and  this  is  the  gate  of  heaven. 

Every  place  where  God  and  the  believing  soul  hold  commun- 
ion, is  solemn  and  dreadful;  but  as  the  sacrament  of  the  supper 
is  one  of  the  most  afiecting  institutions  of  heaven,  and  one  of 
the  nearest  approaches  to  God  that  can  be  made  on  this  side  of 
eternity,  and  in  which  believers  are  permitted  to  hold  intimate 
conversation  with  our  blessed  Jesus,  we  will  particularly  accom- 
modate the  subject  to  that  occasion;  and  when  we  behold  the 
table  of  Christ  spread  and  the  memorials  of  his  broken  body 
and  shed  blood  upon  it,  with  propriety  we  may  adopt  the  lan- 
guage of  the  text:  '■^How  dreadful  is  this  place!  this  is  none 
other  but  the  house  of  God,  and  this  is  gate  of  heaven.'''' 

In  further  attending  to  this  subject,  we  will  consider  the  dif- 
ferent particulars  in  the  text. 

1st.  A  sacramental  table  is  a  dreadful  place;  IbrGud  is  there. 


17G  A    ■■SAUHANKNTAL    MEUITaTIOiN. 

When  the  angel  of  tiie  covenant  appeared  to  Moses  in  a  iiame 
of  fire,  in  the  midst  of  the  bush,  God  commanded  liim,  with 
reverence  to  stand  at  a  distance,  saying,  '•'' Draw  not niglt  hither: 
put  off  thy  phoes  from  off'  thy  feet,  for  the  place  whereon  thou 
standest  is  holy  ground.  And  Moses  hid  his  face^  for  he  ivas 
afraid  to  look  upon  God."''  When  on  mount  Sinai,  in  the  drcad- 
tul  glories  of  his  Godhead,  he  appeared  to  the  children  of  Isra- 
el, ''  with  thunders  and  lightnings,  and  a  thick  cloud,  and  a  voice 
of  a  trumpet  exceedingly  lound,  so  that  all  the  people  trembled^'' 
how  dreadful  was  that  place!  Bounds  were  set,  and  the  peo- 
ple had  to  stay  at  a  distance;  none  dared  to  come  forward  to  gaze 
or  give  an  unhallowed  touch  to  the  mount,  on  the  pain  of  being 
thrust  through  with  a  dart. 

When  the  Judge  of  all  shall  descend  from  Iieaven  with  a 
shout,  and  with  the  voice  of  the  archangel,  and  the  trump  of 
God;  when  he  shall  be  seated  on  the  great  white  throne  of  his 
glory,  and  all  the  inhabitants  of  earth  and  hell  are  arraigned  at 
his  bar, how  dreadful  will  that  place  be!  Well, God  is  as  really 
present  at  a  sacramental  table  as  he  was  in  the  burning  bush  at 
Horeb,  or  on  Mount  Sinai,  or  as  he  will  bo  at  the  judgment  of 
the  great  day.  Then,  as  Moses  did  at  the  burning  bush,  turn 
aside  and  see  this  great  sight,  here  you  may  behold  all  the  per- 
fections of  God  shining  w^ith  amiable  brightness  in  the  face  of 
Jesus  Christ;  here  you  may  view  the  infinite  love  of  God  to- 
wards our  guilty  race  finding  vent  through  the  breaking  heart 
and  bleeding  veins  of  the  dying  Jesus,  and  llowing  to  the  chief 
of  sinners.  Here  you  may  see  mercy  and  truth  meeting  each 
other,  righteousness  and  peace  kissing  each  other  in  the  salva- 
tion of  guilty  sinners  of  Adam's  race. 

2nd.  A  sacramental  table  is  a  dreadful  place,  because  h  is  a 
striking  exhibition  of  the  most  important  transaction  ever  wit- 
nessed by  men  or  angels,  viz.  the  redemption  of  guilty  sinners 
by  the  bitter  agonies,  bloody  sufferings,  and  dying  groans  of  the 
incarnate  God.,  Here  you  may  see  the  Everlasting  God,  in  the 
likeness  of  sinful  flesh;  the  ancient  of  days  become  an  infant 
of  days;  the  Eternal  God  who  sw^ays  the  scepter  of  the  uni- 
verse, born  in  a  stable  and- laid  in  a  manger;  here  you  may  see 
God  who  is  the  source  of  all  consolation,  become  a  ?nan  of  sor- 
rows and  acquainted  with  grief;  here  you  may^  see  the  adorable 
Being,  to  whom  angels  and  archangels  are  indebted  ibr  their 
existence,  desjnsed  and  rejected  of  men;  here  you  may  see 
Emanuel,  God  in  our  nature,  standing  in  our  place,  and  receiv- 
ing the  stroke  of  justice  in  his  own  person,  w-hich  was  due  to 
the  guilty  sinner.  View  him  in  the  garden-of  Gethsemane,  sweat- 
ing blood,  in  an  agony;  see  him  prostrate  on  the  cold  ground, 
pressed  beneath  the  load  of  our  guilt;  the  wrath  of  God  falling 
upon  him  until  he  sweats  asitwere^rea^  drops  of  blood  falling  up. 


A    SACRAMENTAL    MEDITATION.  -177 

on  the  ground;  hear  him  crying  in  extreme  agony,  ^^Nozo  is  my  soul 
troubled.^'' — ^^ My  soul  is  exceeding  sorrowful  even  unto  death-''' 
listen  to  that  heart  rending  prayer,  ''''Father^  if  it  be  possible,  let 
this  cup  pass  from  me."  See  him  laetrayed  by  one  of  his  disci- 
ples— denied  by  another,  and  forsaken  by  all ;  seized  by  a  band 
of  soldiers;  bound  like  a  theif,  and  dragged  before  the  bar  of  a  mor- 
tal worm.  Although  innocent,  yet  he  is  condemned.  See  him 
buffeted;  spat  upon;  scourged  with  knotty  whips,  till  one  might 
tell  all  his  bones;  his  lovely  face  black  with  blows;  his  tender 
temples  pierced  with  thorns;  see  them  array  him  in  an  old  pur- 
ple robe — a  crown  of  thorns  upon  his  head,  and  a  reed  in  his 
hand — while  the  insolent  rabble  bow  before  him,  and,  in  deris- 
ion, cry.  Hail,  King  of  the  Jews ; — see  him  carrying  his  heavy 
cross  through  the  streets  of  Jerusalem,  both  at  the  gates  of 
the  city  and  up  Mount  Calvary  to  the  place  of  execution. — 
Now  see  him  stretched  on  the  cross,  nailed  to  the  fatal  wood 
by  the  tender  hands  and  feet;  see  him  raised  upon  the  accurs- 
ed cross,  suspended  between  the  earth  and  heavens,  a  spectacle 
for  angels,  men  and  devils;  he  is  denied  the  privilege 
of  common  malefactors,  who  were  executed  with  their  faces 
towards  the  temple;  but  he  is  placed  with  his  back  towards  it, 
and  his  face  towards  the  west.  But  here  the  rage  of  men  and 
devils  defeats  their  own  designs;  for  while  his  back  is  turned 
towards  the  the  temple,  his  face  looks  far  away  to  the  west- 
ern world — even  to  these  ends  of  the  earth — and  he  casts  a 
look  of  pity  towards  many  millions  of  lost  sinners  weltering 
in  their  blood  in  these  dark  regions  of  the  shadow  of  death,  and 
a  gleam  of  joy  fills  his  breaking  heart,  when  upon  the  cross  he 
looks  even  towards  Gasper  River;*  see  him  struggling  in  the 
agonies  of  death;  the  sins  of  all  the  Elect  world,  both  before 
and  after  conversion,  fixing  upon  him  like  so  many  deadly  vi- 
pers; the  poisoned  arrows  of  the  wrath  of  God,  striking  fast  in 
his  heart,  and  the  burning  beams  of  Jehovah's  indignation 
against  sin,  falling  upon  him :  listen  to  his  bitter  outcry  when  his 
father  withdrew  from  him  the  light  of  his  countenance:  ^^Eloi^ 
Eloi,  Lama  Sabachthani, — My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  for- 
saken me;"  see  the  soldier's  spear  pierces  his  side,  and  reaches  his 
heart:  but  the  flaming  sword  of  God's  justice  pierces  both  body 
and  soul.  Now,  see  a  rich  fountain  of  divine  blood  flowing  in  scar- 
let streams  from  his  bleeding  veins,  until  every  drop  is  spilt;  behold 
him  sinking  in  the  agonies  of  death,  and,  crying  with  a  loud  voice 
It  is  finished;  he  gives  up  the  ghost,  and  becomes  a  pallid,lifeless 
corpse.  O,  believer,  look  into  his  pierced  side,  and  view  his 
broken  heart,  the  fountain  of  life,  from  which  precious  streams 
of  love  and  mercy  flow  to  guilty  sinners. 

*This  Sermon  was  preached  at  Gasper  Meeting-House. 

25 


178  A    SACRAMENTAL    MEDITATION. 

3rd.  A  sacramental  table  is  a  dreadful  place:  for  the  Holy 
One  of  Israel  here  confers  and  sups  with  pardoned  rebels;  and 
how  must  the  inhabitants  of  heaven  be  astonished  to  see  the 
omnipotent  Jehovah  seated  at  his  table  and  holding  communion 
with  the  worthless  sons  and  daughters  of  Adam,  embracing 
them  in  his  arms  and  kissing  them  with  the  kisses  of  his  mouth* 
O,  pardoned  sinner,  while  you  view  the  smiles  of  his  lovely 
face  and  feel  his  love  shed  abroad  in  your  heart;  you  who  have 
so  often  pierced  him  with  your  sins — are  you  not  ready  to  sink 
into  nothing  in  his  presence,  saying,  I  abhor  myself,  and  repent 
in  dust  and  ashess  ? 

4th.  A  sacramental  table  is  a  dreadful  place ;  for  here  heaven 
is  brought  down  to  earth.  The  richest  branches  of  the  tree  of 
life,  that  grows  in  the  midst  of  the  paradise  of  God,  overhang 
this  table,  and  believers  may  stretch  forth  the  hand  of  faith  and 
pluck  the  sweet  fruits  of  the  heavenly  Canaan.  The  table  of 
God  is  spread  with  the  dainties  of  Paradise:  the  bread  of  life, 
the  hidden  manna,  and  the  grapes  of  Eschol,  with  all  the  rich 
blessings  purchased  by  the  death  of  Jesus  Christ. 

Certainly  every  communicant  who  views  the  glory  of  God  in 
the,  face  of  Jesus  Christ,  is  ready  to  cry  out  with  the  patriarch, 
The  Lord  is  here.     How  dreadful  is  this  place!  this  is  none  but 
the  house  of  God,  and  this  is  the  gate  of  heaven.     When  a  king 
makes  a  banquet,  it  is  in  his  palace,  and  Jehovah  entertains  his 
children  in  his  own  house.     Hence,  says  the  spouse.  He  took  me 
into  his  banqueting  house  and  his  banner  over  me  was  love.'' — 
When  children  are  seated  with  their  father  at  his  table,  they  see 
his  face;  they  enjoy  his  smiles;  and  they  converse   familiarly 
with  him.     So,  when  the  Children  of  Christ  are  seated  with  him 
at  his  table,  however  worthless  they  are  in  themselves,  although 
black  as  the  tents  of  Kedar,  yet  he  embraces  them  in  his  arms, 
holds  them  in  his  bosom,  and  presses  them  to  his  heart.     Then 
they  can  tell  him  all  their  wants,  afflictions  and  temptations; 
by  the  key  of  faith  they  can  unlock  his  cabinet  and  handle  his 
rich  jewels;  they  take  hold  of  his  covenant  and  obtain  every- 
thing the   prayer  of  faith  can  ask.     Hence  saith  the  psalmist, 
"  The  secret  of  the  Lord  is  with  them  that  fear  him;  and  he  will 
shew  them  his  covenant.^''     And,  saith  Christ,  "  To  him  that  over- 
cometh  will  I  give  to  eat  of  the  hidden  manna,  and  will  give  him 
a  white  stone,  and  in  the  stone  a  new  name  written,  which  no 
man  knoweth,  saving  he  that  receiveth  it.''''     When  children  are 
in  their  father's  house,  and  seated  at  his  table,  they  sometimes 
receive  presents  from  him,  and  occasionally  he  shows  them  the 
patents  which  secure  their  interest  in  his  estate.     So,  when  the 
children  of  Christ  are  seated  at  a  sacramental  table,  they  often 
receive  gracious  tokens  of  his  love,  and  are  permitted  to  read 


A   SACRAMENTAL    MEDITATION.  179 

their  Father's  testament,  which  will  shortly  put  them  in  possess- 
ion of  their  heavenly  inheritance. 

Jacob,  in  his  vision,  saw  a  ladder  connecting  heaven  and 
earth,  and  the  angels  of  God  ascending  and  descending  upon  it. 
And  when  Christians  are  seated  at  a  communion  table,  and  are 
near  Christ,  they  are  at  the  gate  of  heaven,  for  Christ  is  at  that 
gate.  Time  and  eternity,  heaven  and  earth,  meet  in  him,  and 
he  is  the  medium  of  communication  between  the  eternal  I  am 
and  worthless  sinners.  In  his  face  they  behold  the  glory  of 
God,  and  through  him  they  obtain  a  Pisgah's  view  of  the  prom- 
ised land,  and  are  blessed  with  foretastes  of  heaven.  By  faith, 
they  take  hold  of  the  tree  of  life,  which  grows  in  the  midst  of 
the  Paradise  of  God,  and  drink  sweet  daughts  of  his  everlasting 
love.  Now  Jesus  appears  to  them  with  his  vesture  dipped  in 
blood,  with  a  crown  of  glory  upon  his  head,  and  when  he  smiles 
upon  them,  they  adopt  the  language  of  the  patriarch,  saying, 
"  How  dreadful  is  this  place !  this  is  none  other  but  the  house  of 
God,  and  this  is  the  gate  of  heaven.'''' 


SERMON    XIX. 

THE    DEVICES    OF    SATAN. 


And  the  Lord  said,  Simon,  Simon,  behold  Satan  hath  desired 
to  have  you,  that  he  may  sift  you  as  wheat, — Luke,  xxii.  31. 

-^^ 

These  words  were  a  part  of  our  blessed  Lord's  last  conver- 
sation with  his  disciples  on  that  solemn  and  dreadful  night  in 
which  he  was  betrayed.  His  hour  was  just  at  hand.  Heaven, 
earth  and  hell  were  now  drawn  out  in  battle  array  against  him. 
And  yet,  amidst  all  these  difficulties,  his  love  and  compassion 
moved  his  heart  towards  his  dear  disciples;  and,  therefore,  he 
institutes  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  to  be  kept  as  an 
everlasting  memorial  of  his  dying  love. 

During  the  celebration  of  this  solemn  ordinance,  he  enters 
into  sweet  conversation  with  his  disciples.  He  comforts  their 
sinking  hearts  with  the  prospect  of  their  meeting  him  in  the  ce- 
lestial paradise :  "  Ye  are  they  which  have  continued  with  me  in 
my  temptations;  and  I  appoint  unto  you  a  kingdom  as  my  Father 
hath  appointed  unto  me;  that  ye  may  eat  and  drink  at  my  table  in 
my  kingdom,  and  sit  on  thrones,  judging  the  twelve  tribes  of  Isra- 
el.''^ Then,  in  the  words  of  our  text,  he  warns  them  all  in  gene- 
ral, and  Peter  in  particular,  that  Satan  was  preparing  a 
dreadful  attack  upon  them:  ''Simon,  Simon,  Satan  hath  desired 
to  have  you,  that  he  may  sift  you  as  wheat.^^  As  a  man,  winnow- 
ing, sifts  out  the  wheat,  and  leaves  nothing  but  the  chaff,  so  Sa- 
tan will  endeavor,  by  strong  temptations,  to  sift  away  all  your 
lively,  spiritual  exercise,  your  comforts  and  the  graces  of  the 
Holy  Sprit;  to  deprive  you  of  the  life  and  power  of  religion, 
and  leave  naught  but  dry  formality,  and  a  cold,  lifeless  profession. 

The  words  may  be  applied  to  the  awakened  sinner.  Satan  de- 
sires to  have  him,  that  he  may  sift  him  as  wheat;  that  he  may 
sift  away  every  conviction,  every  serious  impression,  and  every 
sincere  desire  after  God  and  religion.  Satan  knows  that  the 
present  time  is,  in  a  spiritual  manner,  the  sinner's  day  of  grace, 


THE  DEVICES  OF  SATAN.  181 

and  if  he  can  only  succeed  in  destroying  conviction  from  the 
soul,  he  is,  in  all  probability,  sure  of  his  prey. 

But,  with  great  propriety,  this  subject  may  be  applied  to  the 
people  of  God,  who  have  tasted  his  pardoning  love,  the  sweet- 
ness of  redeeming  grace.  Satan  desires  to  have  them,  that  he 
may  sift  them  as  wheat.  The  Devil  knows.  Christians,  that, 
when  you  live  near  God,  when  you  enjoy  the  life  and  power  of 
religion  in  your  souls,  you  are  terrible  as  an  army  with  banners. 
His  subjects  tremble,  and  his  kingdom  shakes  to  the  centre. 
Therefore,  he  wishes  to  sift  you.  If  he  can  only  rob  you  of  the 
sweet  comforts  of  religion,  and  lead  you  into  darkness  far  from 
God,  his  kingdom  is  safe;  the  cause  of  Christ  sinks  into  ruin 
and  the  damnation  of  sinners  becomes  sure. 

In  discussing  this  subject,  we  shall — 

I.  Consider  the  nature  of  Satan's  temptations.  ' 

II.  Point  out  some  of  his  subtle  stratagems. 

I.  Consider  the  nature  of  Satan's  temptations. 

As  the  Devil  is  an  intelligent  spirit,  retaining  his  angelic  pow- 
ers and  faculties,  more  crafty  than  all  the  human  race  collective- 
ly, doubtless  he  is  thoroughly  acquainted  with  every  disposition, 
and  adapts  his  temptations  to  the  weaknesses  of  the  children  of 
God. 

Is  one  man  of  a  proud  and  ostentatious  disposition?  The 
Devil  tempts  him  to  display  his  attainments  in  religion.  He  is 
often  more  anxious  to  acquire  a  great  name  than  to  advance  the 
divine  glory.  When  he  feels  happy  in  religion,  the  Devil  whis- 
pers in  his  ear,  all  the  Christians  are  noticing  you;  they  love 
and  esteem  you;  they  will  talk  of  you  as  a  lively  Christian. 
When  he  prays  or  exhorts  with  power  and  liberty,  the  Devil 
whispers,  well  done,  you  are  the  greatest  Christian  of  the  day. 
Hence,  spiritual  pride  arises,  and  kills  every  spark  of  divine 
comfort  in  his  soul.  Is  another  disposed  to  be  close  and  indus- 
trious? The  Devil  keeps  him  at  work  late  and  early — driving 
and  pursuing  the  world — often  to  the  neglect  of  his  private  de- 
votions or  family  prayer.  At  the  end  of  the  day  he  is  so  tired, 
that  he  cannot  go  to  prayer  meeting.  If  a  sacrament  comes 
on,  he  fears  he  will  lose  his  crop,  his  servants  will  trifle  and  do 
nothing  until  he  comes  home;  and,  if  he  overcomes  all  these 
difficulties,  the  Devil  suggests  that  new  clothes  are  necessary, 
and  he  dreads  the  expense. 

Is  another  of  a  peevish  fretful  disposition?  The  Devil  brings 
about  a  thousand  little  provoking  crcumstances,  which  torment 
his  soul  and  keep  him  grumbling  and  complaining,  until  he  loses 
the  spirit  of  prayer,  and  every  sense  of  religion. 

If  there  is  any  one  of  a  resentful  temper,  the  cunning  enemy 
of  souls  instigates  some  of  his  gadding  neighbors  to  poison  his 
mind  with  tales  of  what  others  have  been  saying  of  him.     At- 


182  THE  DEVICES  OF  SATAN. 

tempts  have  been  made  to  injure  his  character;  to  take  low  and 
mean  advantages  of  him.  Thus  his  passions  are  excited;  mal- 
ice rages;  his  mind  is  miserable,  and  he  loses  the  enjoyment  of 
religion. 

Many  are  easily  persuaded  by  the  Devil  into  sin,  because  they 
fear  giving  offence  to  their  friends.  If  invited,  they  drink,  en- 
gage in  foolish  conversation ;  and,  if  persuaded,  they  dance  and 
frolic;  and,  at  length,  they  become  fond  of  all  worldly  amuse- 
ments. 

Is  an  innate  propensity  to  nicety  discovered?  it  is  increased 
into  an  extraordinary  fondness  for  dress;  and  much  more  time 
and  trouble  is  taken  to  adorn  the  body,  to  arrange  every  trin- 
ket and  ornament  on  the  Sabbath  morning,  than  to  acquire  a 
praying  frame  of  mind,  to  prepare  the  heart  for  the  reception  of 
divine  impressions.  Those  of  a  contrary  disposition,  who  are 
disposed  to  be  odd  or  clownish  in  dress,  place  much  of  their 
religion  in  plain,  old  fashioned  clothes,  and  are  more  disturbed 
with  the  pride  of  their  neighbor's  apparel,  than  with  the  pride 
of  their  own  hearts.  They  often  feel  themselves  ill  treated,  if 
people  do  not  make  them  the  standard  by  which  to  regulate  their 
conduct.  Thus,  while  quarreling  with  the  sins  of  others,  vice 
creeps  into  their  souls  and  they  lose  the  life  of  religion. 

Is  any  one  in  the  habit  of  using  spirituous  liquors?  The  Dev- 
il uses  all  his  art  to  decoy  him  into  drunkenness,  that  he  may 
expose  himself  and  injure  the  cause  of  God.  To  men  of  warm 
passions,  prone  to  lust,  are  presented  the  most  alluring  objects. 
The  eyes  and  imagination  are  besieged  continually  by  the  most 
seductive  devices  of  Satan.  In  short,  such  is  the  cunning  of 
that  old  serpent,  the  Devil,  that  he  well  knows  how  to  take  ad- 
vantage of  the  foibles  and  peculiarities  of  every  character.  To 
the  avaricoius,  he  presents  wealth;  to  the  ambitious,  honor  and 
fame.  He  tempts  the  lazy  and  slothful  to  neglect  their  business, 
to  postpone  the  performance  of  all  their  duties  until  a  more 
convenient  time.  The  bold  and  rash  are  driven  into  concert 
and  self-applause;  reproving  sin  in  a  bad  spirit,  conducting 
themselves  in  such  a  manner  as  to  disgust  the  wicked  with  re- 
ligion. The  timid  and  bashful  he  tries  to  shame  out  of  the 
performance  of  duty,  and  keeps  them  afraid  to  pray  in  their 
families,  or  publicly  to  acknowledge  Christ.  The  prudent  are 
just  suited  to  the  Devil's  purpose.  For  fear  of  running  into 
extremes,  they  are  so  cautious  as  scarce  to  distinguish  them- 
selves from  the  wicked;  and,  for  fear  of  doing  something  wrong 
they  scarce  do  any  thing  right.  But  if  Satan  be  wise  in  the 
choice  of  his  temptations,  he  is  also  exceedingly  diligent  in  their 
application.  In  general,  he  commences  by  presenting  some 
small  sin  as  it  is  called.  In  an  innocent  form,  he  offers  to  the 
mind  some  poisonous  bait.     It  is  often  presented  as  a  duty — as  a 


THE  DEVICES  OF  SATAN.  1  83 

matter  of  necessity — and  if  he  succeeds  in  his  first  attempt,  a 
second  will  be  made,  and  a  third,  until  his  attacks  will  become 
so  frequent  and  powerful  as  scarce  to  be  resisted.  Thus  David 
beholds  Uriah's  beautiful  wife,  while  walking  upon  the  roof  of 
the  house.  The  first  temptation  succeeds.  Lust  conceived 
brings  forth  sin.  Then  follows  the  temptation  to  adultery;  and, 
finally,  he  is  drawn  into  the  commission  of  murder.  Peter  is 
first  tempted  to  fear  and  cowardice,  and  soon  he  denies  his  Lord, 
and  is  then  guilty  of  cursing  and  downright  peijury.  Judas  is 
tempted  to  covetousness.  This  leads  him  to  betray  the  Son  of 
God,  and,  in  the  end,  to  commit  suicide.  As  we  said  before, 
some  small  sin  is  presented.  If  the  point  is  gained,  the  heart  is 
hardened  and  prepared  for  some  more  gross  offence;  and  thus 
it  is  that  he  gains  upon  the  creature  until  he  is  betrayed  into  the 
most  atrocious  crimes. 

IL  Point  out  some  of  his  subtle  stratagems. 

We  have,  heretofore,  spoken  of  the  admirable  adaptation  of 
the  Devil's  devices  to  the  dispositions  of  men.  We  will  now 
proceed  to  point  out  the  various  means  by  which  he  endeavors 
to  sift  from  the  soul  all  divine  comforts  and  impressions.  As 
the  skilful  farmer  provides  himself  with  sieves  and  riddles  suited 
to  his  purpose,  so  the  Devil  is  well  provided  with  sifters  fitted 
to  every  time  and  circumstance — to  every  situation  of  individ- 
uals, church  or  commonwealth.  He  sifts  them  in  the  sieve  of 
vanity,  by  leading  them  into  vain  conversation  and  idle  mirth. 

When  professing  neighbors  meet  together,  the  Devil  often 
holds  up  to  their  view  pleasing  worldly  prospects.  Then  out 
of  the  abundance  of  their  hearts  their  mouths  speak.  They  con- 
verse about  their  lands,  houses  and  all  their  worldly  affairs. 
They  tell  of  the  various  plans  they  are  laying  to  obtain  mon- 
ey, to  amass  wealth.  These  things  are  lawful  in  their  proper 
place;  and,  therefore,  they  conceive  themselves  to  be  in  no  dan- 
ger, and  they  are  driven  away  into  the  wide  field  of  carnality. 
Conscience  falls  asleep.  Then  comes  fondness  for  mirth  and 
levity.  A  love  of  jesting,  of  vain  and  foolish  conversation,  pos- 
sesses the  whole  soul;  and  as  iron  sharpens  iron,  so  they  become 
tools  in  the  hand  of  the  Devil  to  harden  each  other.  One  has 
a  diverting  story  to  tell;  another  some  laughable  jest  or  some 
curious  remarks  upon  the  ignorance  or  awkwardness  of  a 
neighbor.  One  strange  remark,  one  foolish  jest,  brings  about 
another,  until  they  are  overwhelmed  in  merriment  and  laughter. 

Thus  the  Spirit  is  grieved,  and  all  sense  of  divine  obligation, 
all  thoughts  of  eternal  things  are  driven  from  the  mind.  In  this 
way,  professing  Christians  taint  the  morals  of  their  children  and 
domestics.  It  happens  frequently,  that  young  professors  of  re- 
ligion, who  formerly  prayed  and  held  sweet  converse  with  each 
other  about  Christ,  heaven  and  what  the  Lord  had  done  for 


1  84  THE  DEVICES    OF  SATAN. 

their  souls  ;  when  they  meet  now,  it  is  only  as  instruments  of 
the  Devil,  to  harden  each  other's  hearts,  to  banish  religion  from 
their  souls. 

The  Devil  has  another  sieve  by  which  he  tries  the  faith  of 
the  people  of  God,  and  relieves  the  convicted  sinner  of  disa- 
greeable, but  useful  impressions.  This  is  an  angry  resentful 
spirit,  which  has  dreadful  influence  in  neighborhoods  and 
families.  This  often  leads  the  Christian  to  speak  ill  of  his 
neighbor;  to  ridicule  his  person,  his  family,  or  may  be,  to  sati- 
rize his  religious  exercises.  Immediately  the  Devil  sets  oif  a 
runner  to  tell  what  remarks  have  been  made  by  such  a  one 
about  him,  and  he  never  fails  to  hear  an  exaggerated  story. 
Whilst  listening,  Satan  tempts  him  to  grow  angry,  and  resent 
such  treatment.  O,  says  the  Devil,  he  has  used  you  as  a  rascal ; 
he  surely  has  no  religion ;  he  is  a  hypocrite ;  all  his  holy  exer- 
cises are  pretended,  and,  since  he  has  treated  you  so  shamefully, 
demand  full  satisfaction.  If  you  are  a  Christian,  act  like  a  man 
of  honor,  and  don't  suffer  yourself  to  be  abused;  if  you  do, 
you  will  be  insulted  upon  all  occasions. 

The  Devil  brings  about  innumerable  petty  difficulties  in 
business  to  perplex  the  husband;  then  tempts  him  to  speak 
harshly  to  his  wife — to  whom  suspicions  of  his  attachment  are 
suggested;  he  loves  you  not  as  man  should  love  his  wife.  She 
retaliates — answers  him  with  tartness  and  severity.  Provoked 
by  such  conduct  in  his  wife,  the  man  becomes  enraged,  and 
abuses  her,  sometimes  in  the  most  shocking,  barbarous  manner. 
And  thus  it  is  that  the  peace  and  harmony  of  families  are 
destroyed;  and  through  the  instrumentality  of  those  who  pro- 
fess religion,  Satan  manages  to  effect  his  purposes. 

Children,  servants,  or  hirelings,  are  tempted  to  disobedience, 
slothfulness  or  a  neglect  of  business;  to  unfaithfulness  in  the 
discharge  of  their  duty,  and  sometimes  are  prevailed  upon  to 
steal,  waste  or  destroy  things  of  value.  These  crimes  are 
highly  irritating  to  heads  of  families.  Their  resentment  is 
kindled  and  vented  in  anger  upon  the  transgressors,  who  con- 
clude that  religion  is  folly,  and  that  prayer  and  all  other  Christian 
duties  are  hypocrisy  and  deceit. 

The  punishment,  instead  of  producing  reform,  only  leads  the 
offender  to  devise  every  means  by  which  he  may  irritate  and 
perplex  his  master  or  parents. 

Pride  and  worldly-mindedness  form  another  riddle,  by  which 
the  arch  fiend  sifts  from  the  soul  the  comforts  of  divine  grace; 
and  mark  with  what  ingenuity  he  lays  his  snares.  All  his  hellish 
craft  and  cunning  are  used  to  conceal  them.  He  covers  them 
under  the  fair  pretext  of  public  utility, decency  or  industry;  he 
suggests  to  the  Christian  that  it  is  necessary  for  him  to  have  as 
good  a  house  and  farm  as  any  of  his  neighbors;  he  must  be  as 


THE  DEVICES  OF  SATAN.  195 

well  dressed;  his  children  must  be  clothed  neatly;  and,  unless 
he  attains  to  these  things,  his  family  will  be  considered  as  mean 
and  contemptible.  A  thousand  schemes  are  devised  to  acquire 
honor  and  amass  wealth;  he  rises  early,  and  sets  up  late;  all  is 
hurry  and  bustle;  business  presses;  all  must  be  given  up  to  facili- 
tate the  acquisition  of  the  empty  trifles  of  the  world.  There  is  no 
time  to  attend  the  preaching  of  the  Word;  family  worship  and 
private  prayer  must  be  neglected;  and  they  must  conform  to 
the  fashions  and  customs  of  the  world.  To  succeed  in  their 
ambitious  designs  it  is  necessary  to  court  the  favor  of  the 
wicked;  to  associate  witii  them  and  adopt  their  habits,  and  ere 
they^are  aware,  the  deep  draughts  of  carnality  have  intoxicated 
the  brain.  Blinded  by  the  God  of  this  wofid,  they  have  lost  all 
the  spirituality  and  enjoyment  of  Godliness. 

Another  riddle  is  that  of  discontent,  by  means  of  which  men 
are  led  to  overlook  all  the  mercies  of  God,  become  ungrateful, 
and  suffer  the  most  exquisite  torment  of  mind.  Hence,  they 
feel  no  disposition  to  pray;  their  little  worldly  calamities  swallow 
up  all  anxiety  for  the  Church  of  Christ.  Presently  they  fancy 
their  lot  harder  than  that  of  any  other  person  on  earth;  their 
wants  more  numerous;  their  difficulties  greater;  their  circum- 
stances more  distressing.  Hear  the  language  of  discontent; 
I  have  more  sickness  in  my  family,  more  bad  luck  than  any 
other  person;  my  horses  die;  my  cattle  don't  thrive;  my  hogs 
are  stolen;  my  crops  turn  out  badly;  I  am  scarce  of  corn, 
scarce  of  meat,  and  scarce  of  money.  What  am  I  to  do?  I 
am  in  debt,  and  know  not  how  I  shall  pay.  If  I  owe  a  few 
shillings,  I  am  pestered  and  harassed  almost  out  of  my  life ;  but 
when  a  thousand  dollars  are  due  me,  it  is  impossible  to  get  a 
cent.  While  at  his  daily  business,  everything  goes  wrong;  he 
is  troubled  and  fretted,  and  no  man  is  so  plagued  as  he  is.  None 
have  such  disobedient  children,  or  such  worthless  servants;  one 
is  slothful — another  careless  and  inattentive.  Indeed,  he  is  so 
vexed,  so  troubled,  that  neither  temporal  nor  spiritual  conside- 
rations can  comfort  him. 

The  poor  mother  thinks  she  has  a  worse  chance  for  time  and 
eternity  than  any  one  else.  She  has  cross  and  mischievous  chil- 
dren, wicked  and  lazy  servants;  she  can  get  nothing  done;  her  chil- 
dren are  in  rags;  how  can  she  clothe  them?  She  needs  this 
necessary  and  the  other;  indeed,  a  thousand  which  she  cannot 
obtain.  Over  these  matters  she  frets  and  perplexes  her  mind 
until  entirely  disqualified  for  the  indwelling  of  the  graces  of  the 
Holy  Spirit. 

Nor  are  these  the  only  means  by  which  the  Devil  kills  the 
power  of  religion.  Contention  is  one  of  the  most  subtle  and  ef- 
fective engines  of  hell.  Satan  cares  not  upon  what  subjects  the 
Christian  disputes,  if  he  can  tempt  him  to  do  it  in  an  evil  spirit. 

26 


196  '  THE  DEVICES  OF  SATAN. 

Some  one  in  his  great  zeal  for  the  truth  contends  warmly  for 
predestination,  election  and  final  perseverance;  and,  unless  he 
is  very  cautious,  he  will  do  it  in  a  wrong  manner;  he  will  con- 
demn every  person  holding  an  opposite  opinion,  and  declare 
that  no  one  who  disbelieves  his  doctrine,  or  believes  in  faUing 
from  grace,  can  be  a  Christian. 

Such  declarations  offend  the  Arminian.  They  are  insulting; 
they  are  not  justifiable.  He  answers  the  Calvinists  in  language 
equally  harsh  and  unchristian.  He  abuses  all  opposed  to  his 
sentiments,  and  delivers  to  condemnation  the  believer  in  a  par- 
ticular election  or  final  perseverance. 

Another  advocates  baptism,  and  denies  that  there  is  any  other 
baptism  beside  immersion.  He  contends  earnestly  that  all 
unbaptized  persons — such  as  have  not  gone  under  the  water — 
are  wrong;  they  contradict  him  upon  the  subject,  and  he  must 
needs  be  mad  about  the  matter. 

Thus  it  is,  brethren,  that  our  great  adversary,  the  Devil,  di- 
vides the  Church  of  Christ  against  itself,  and  makes  the  friends 
of  Jesus  the  instruments  to  effect  his  own  diabolical  purposes. 
Then  beware  how  you  contend  with  each  other,  lest  you  injure 
the  cause  of  your  Master.  Be  careful,  lest  even  while  you  sup- 
pose yourselves  doing  God  service,  that  yon  are  not  laboring 
faithfully  for  the  Devil. 

From  what  has  been  said  concerning  the  nature  of  the  strata- 
gems of  the  Devil — being  particularly  suited  to  the  various 
characters  and  circumstances  of  mankind,  and  from  some  few 
of  those  stratagems  which  we  have  pointed  out — Christians 
should  be  guarded  on  every  side,  that  they  may  not  be  taken  by 
surprise  and  confounded.  He  knows  the  weak  point  in  every 
character,  and  will  surely  take  advantage  of  it.  Though  you 
may  be  strong,  he  will  overpower  you;  though  you  may  be  wise, 
he  will  confound  you;  for,  he  is,  indeed,  a  wily  and  powerful 
spirit.  He  will  lurk  in  your  bosoms,  and  you  w^ill  not  find  him 
out;  he  will  hide  himself  in  your  words,  and  you  will  not  suspect 
him.  Often  in  the  most  delicious  sweets  are  concealed  the 
deadliest  poison.  Watch  and  pray,  that  you  be  not  deceived  by 
appearances.  Even  when  feasting  upon  the  hidden  manna  of 
the  love  of  God,  you  should  suspect  temptation  nigh.  In  such 
moments,  think  of  the  text;  remember  that  '-''Satan  hath  desi7-ed 
to  have  you,  that  he  may  sift  you  as  wheat.''''  Trust  in  the  Lord; 
forget  not  your  own  weakness;  avoid  every  sin — even  the 
smallest  sin;  be  induced  by  no  consideration  to  commit  the  most 
trivial  offence.  Recollect  that  a  small  trespass  prepares  the 
soul  for  a  greater  breach  of  the  divine  law.  But  for  power  to 
resist  the  assaults  of  the  enemy,  rely  upon  the  cnmipotence  of 
the  great  Jehovah,  who  will  be  thy  strength  and  thy  everlasting 
ritihteousneis. 


SERMON    XX. 


THE  SUPER  A  BOUNDING  GRACE  OF  GOD. 


Moreover  the  law  entered.,  that  the  offence  might  abound.     But 
where  sin  abounded^  grace  did  much  more  abound, — Romans,  v,  20. 


In  this  epistle,  the  apostle  Paul,  by  many  unanswerable  argu- 
ments proves,  that  all  men,  both  Jews  and  Gentiles, have  sinned 
and  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God,  and  consequently  cannot 
obtain  salvation  by  the  deeds  of  the  law;  for,  "6?/  the  deeds  of 
the  laiv,  there  shall  nojiesh  be  Justijied  in  his  sight:  for  by  the  law 
is  the  knowledge  of  sin.''''     From  this,  he  infers  that  the  true  be- 
liever is  justified  by  faith  without  the  deeds  of  the  law  by  the 
righteousness  of  the  God  man  Christ  Jesus  being  imputed  unto 
him,  which  righteousness  is  so  extensive  that  the  largest  demands 
of  law  and  justice  can  be  fully  satisfied,  and  the  guilty  sinner 
eternally  freed  from  condemnation;  for  as  the  first  Adam  was 
the  head  and  representative  of  all  his  ordinary  posterity,  and 
by  his  offence,  has  brought  guilt  and  death  upon  them  all,  so 
Christ,  the  second  Adam,  the  head  and  representative  of  all  his 
spiritual  seed,  has  wrought  out  a  perfect  righteousness  of  infinite 
worth,  which,  upon  their  believing,  is  imputed  to  them;  and, 
on  the  account  thereof,  they  are  justified  and  entitled  to  eternal 
life  and  glory,  and  through  his  righteousness  rich  grace  is  mani- 
fested to  be  much  more  powerful  to  save  than  the  sin  of  Adam 
was  to  damn,  as  is  clearly  proved  in  the  verses  immediately 
preceding  the  text.     But  the  legal  Jews  would  object,  that,  ac- 
cording to  this  doctrine,  the  law  was  given  in  vain,  if  none 
could  attain  to  righteousness  and  life  by  it,  and  would  ask  why 
God  gave  the  law  at  all  if  this  doctrine  be  true?     To  such  the 
apostle  replies,  that  the  law  was  given  for  a  different  purpose — 
in  svibserviency  to  the  gospel.     The  law  entered  to  discover  the 


198  THE   SUPERABOUNDING   GRACK  OF  GOD. 

abounding  of  sin,  that  so  the  way  might  be  prepared  for  a  more 
illustrious  display  of  the  superabounding  grace  of  God,  which 
pardons  and  saves  from  such  abounding  iniquities. 

The  text  may  be  divided  into  two  parts.  In  the  first,  we  may 
observe — 

1st.  The  subject  spoken  of—  the  Law — the  eternal,  unalterable 
rule  of  right  and  wrong,  founded  upon  the  holy  nature  and  per- 
fections of  God,  the  declaration  of  his  holy  will  to  mankind, 
binding  all  his  intelligent  creatures  to  perfect,  perpetual  and 
universal  obedience,  threatening  eternal  death  and  damnation  to 
every  sin. 

2d.  What  is  predicated  of  this  law.  It  entered  in  together 
with  sin,  say  some,  in  order  to  condemn  where  it  is;  say  others, 
together  with  the  gospel  promise,  in  order  to  be  subservient  to 
it  in  carrying  on  the  great  designs  of  grace.  This  last  sense 
seems  to  be  favored  by  the  apostle,  when  he  says  of  the  law, 
*'/i5  was  added  because  of  transgrtssiojis,  till  the  seed  should  come 
to  whom  the  promise  was  niade.^''  And,  again:  ^'•Wherefore  the 
law  was  our  schoolmaster  to  bring  us  unto  Christy  that  we  might 
he  justified  by  faith.'''' 

3d.  The  end  or  design  of  the  law  thus  entering.  That  the 
offence  might  abound.  Either  that  first  offence  of  Adam,  of 
which  the  apostle  had  been  speaking  as  the  cause  of  death  tmd 
condemnation  to  all  men;  or  else  sin  in  general,  which  the  law 
does  not  make  to  abound  by  any  proper  efficiency  in  producing 
it;  for  the  law  is  holy,  just  and  good,  but  by  its  discovering  the 
abounding  of  sin ;  for  it  was  observed  by  some  that  the  Hebrews 
usually  say  such  a  thing  is,  when  it  appears  to  be.  So  it  may 
be  said,  that  sin  abounds  by  the  entering  of  the  law,  because 
the  law  discovers  the  abounding  of  sin,  as  light  let  into  a  dark 
room  manifests  the  abounding  of  the  day,  which  was  not  dis- 
cerned before;  and  this  accords  with  the  language  of  the 
apostle :  "  What  shall  we  say  then  ?  Is  the  law  sin  ?  God  forbid. 
iSay^  I  had  not  known  sin^  but  by  the  law:  for  I  had  not  known 
lust,  except  the  law  had  said,  Thou  shalt  not  covet.  But  sin,  tak- 
ing occasion  by  the  co7nmandment,  lorought  in  me  all  manner  of 
concupiscence.  For,  without  the  law  sin  was  dead.  For  I  was 
alive  without  the  low  once:  but  when  the  comynandment  came,  sin 
revived,  and  I  died.  And  the  commandment  which  was  ordained  to 
life,  I  found  to  be  unto  death.  For  sin,  taking  occasion  by  the 
commandment,  deceived  me,  and  by  it  slew  me.  Wherefore  the 
law  is  holy,  and  the  commandment  holy,  and  just,  and  good.'''' 

In  the  second  part  of  the  text,  we  may  observe — 

1st.  The  subject  spoken  of — Grace — the  free  favor  of  God, 
in  pardoning  and  saving  sinners  through  the  righteousness  of 
Christ,  which  clearly  appears  from  the  verse  immediately  fol- 
lowing the  text,  "  That  as  sin  hath  reigned  unto  death,  even  so 


THE  SUPERABOUNDING  GRACE  OK  GOD.  199 

might  grace  reign  throngk  righteousness  unto  eternal  life^  by 
Jesus  Christ  our  LordJ''^ 

2d.  What  is  predicated  of  grace.  It  abounded  much  more 
than  sin — that  is,  the  free  grace  of  God  which  reigns  through 
the  righteousness  of  Christ  unto  eternal  life,  is  much  more 
powerful  to  pardon  and  save,  than  sin  is  to  deform  and  damn, 
and  in  its  works  of  salvation  does  far  exceed  any  thing  that  sin 
has  done  in  its  works  of  damnation. 

From  this  view  of  the  text,  it  appears  natural,  in  its  farther 
consideration, 

I.  To  shew  some  things  in  which  the  abounding  of  sin  is  dis- 
covered by  the  law. 

II.  Mention  some  things  in  which  the  saving  grace  of  God  in 
Christ  does  much  more  abound. 

III.  Improve  the  subject. 

I.  Shew  some  things  in  which  the  abounding  of  sin  is  dis- 
covered by  the  law. 

1st.  The  law  entering,  discovers  the  abounding  evil  that  is  in 
the  very  nature  of  sin.  This  law  which  enters  is  a  declaration 
of  the  will  of  God,  founded  in  his  infinitely  holy  perfections;  an 
eternal  rule  to  all  intelligent  creatures.  It  is  the  law  of  Him 
who  is  the  great  Creator  and  Upholder  of  the  Universe;  who, 
consequently,  has  the  most  unquestionable  right  to  rule  his  own 
creatures,  and  to  give  them  laws  for  that  purpose.  It  is  the  law 
of  Him  who  is  infinite,  eternal,  unchangeable,  and  independent — 
boundless  in  wisdom,  power,  holiness,  justice,  goodness  and 
truth,  and  who,  therefore,  is  infinitely  fit  to  rule. 

Reason  and  revelation  both  tell  us  that  sin  is  the  transgress- 
ion of  the  law  of  God,  either  by  omission  or  commission,  and 
the  very  language  of  a  transgression  of  the  law  is  a  reflection 
upon  it  either  as  impracticable,  and,  therefore,  unreasonable,  or 
else  not  adapted  to  the  true  happiness  of  the  creature;  there- 
fore, it  must  be  either  foolish  or  tyrannical.  By  casting  such  a 
reflection  upon  the  law,  the  infinitely  glorious  Lawgiver  is  dis- 
honored, as  if  he  were  not  sufficiently  wise  to  make  a  law 
adapted  to  the  true  happiness  of  his  creatures,  or  if  he  did  know 
what  was  best  for  them,  he  has  not  sufficient  goodness  to  grant 
it;  which  last  seems  plainly  held  forth  in  the  first  temptation  to 
sin  in  the  case  of  our  first  parents;  for,  so  far  as  man  prefers 
his  own  choice  to  the  law  of  God,  so  far  he  practically  says,  that 
his  own  will  is  fitter  to  prescribe  a  happifying  rule  than  the  will 
of  Jehovah;  and,  so  far  as  man  complies  with  the  temptations 
of  Satan  to  sin,  so  far  he  declares  that  the  will  of  the  Devil  is 
more  fit  for  the  rule  of  his  happiness  than  the  will  of  God ;  and 
considering  the  law  as  a  transcript  of  the  moral  perfections  of 
Jehovah,  and  conformity  to  it  enforced  by  a  penalty,  the  lan- 
guage of  sin  then  is,  that  it  is  better  to  forfeit  all  the  good  God 


200  THE    SUPERABOUNDING    GRACE    OF    GOD. 

can  confer,  and  risk  all  the  evil  his  wrath  can  inflict,  than  be 
conformed  to  such  a  Being.  Now,  considering  that  the  glory 
of  God,  thus  dishonored,  is  infinite,  there  must  be  an  infinite  evil 
in  sin;  for,  though  no  act  of  a  finite  being,  can  have  infinite  dig- 
nity or  demerit  attached  to  it,  arising  from  the  agent  separately 
considered,  and  although  the  obedience  of  a  finite  being  cannot 
receive  an  infinite  worth  from  the  infinitude  of  the  object  obeyed, 
because  the  act  is  not  adequate  to  the  object,  for  even  a  perfect 
creature  cannot  be  said  to  love  and  delight  in  any  more  glory 
than  he  can  have  some  apprehensions  ot^  and  consequently  as 
his  apprehensions  so  his  love  and  delight  must  fall  infinitely 
short  of  being  adequate  to  the  infinite  glory  of  God.  But  sin, 
being  a  rejecting  and  denying  of  the  Deity  entirely,  both  what 
is  apprehended  of  him  and  what  is  not,  there  is  a  dishonor  cast 
upon  infinite  glory,  therefore  there  must  be  an  infinite  evil  in 
sin,  and  as  these  things  are  not  peculiar  to  some  kinds  or  degrees 
of  sin,  but  included  in  its  nature,  so  we  may  conclude  that  the 
law  discovers  an  abundant,  yea  an  infinite  evil  in  sin. 

2d.  The  law  also  discovers  the  venomous  and  infectious  na- 
ture of  sin.     The  first  drop  of  the  venomous  contagion  present- 
ed by  that  old  serpent,  the  Devil,  and  tasted  by  curious  Eve, 
shed  its  deadly  venom  through  the  whole  human  nature,  and 
mortally  poisoned  every  faculty  of  the  soul  and  every  member, 
nerve  and  muscle  of  the  body,  every  thought,  word  and  action 
of  all  the  numberless  millions  of  mankind  in  every  age  of  the 
world;  hence  the  understanding  is  dark;  the  heart  is  enmity 
against  God;  the  conscience  defiled  with  dead  works;  the  me- 
mory prone  to  forget  God;  the  affections  polluted;  every  imagi- 
nation of  the  thoughts  of  the  heart  evil  continually^  and  the  actions 
conformable  thereto.     What  an  abundance  of  sin  does  the  law 
discover,  seeing  that  by  the  offence  of  one  many  were  made  sinners, 
3d.  The  law  discovers  an  abundant  strength  in  sin.     When 
that  venomous  evil,  sin,  entered,  and  by  man's  consent,  God,  who 
might  justly  have  left  the  whole  human  race  as  he  did  the  fallen 
angels,  to  be  eternal  monuments  of  his  wrath,  of  his  sovereign 
mercy,  pitied  them,  and  when  he  saw  them  weltering  in  their 
blood,  he  revealed  a  way  of  recovery  which  his  infinite  wisdom 
had  devised,  and  his  infinite  love  consented  to  from  all  eternity. 
This  revelation  of  a  method  of  salvation  continued  to  prove 
clearer  by  new  discoveries  in  different  ages,  till  at  last  the  glo- 
rious Sun  of  Righteousness  arose  with  healing  in  his  wings,  and 
shone  with  noon-day  brightness  on  our  benighted  world.     But  all 
the  manifestations  of  divine  love  sin  despises,  all  the  overtures 
of  divine  mercy  sin  tramples  beneath  its  feet.     In  the  midst  of 
this  contest  the  law  steps  in  to  the  assistance  of  grace,  and  de- 
clares to  man  his  need  of  salvation,  by  telling  him  what  exten- 
sive obedience  God  requires,  and  tells  him  also  how  dreadfully 


THE    SUPERABOUNDINC    GRACE    OF    GOD.  201 

the  infinite  God  threatens  the  least  disobedience.  But  sin,  Le- 
viathan-like, treats  all  this  brass  and  iron  like  straw  and  rotten 
wood.  Then  the  Almighty  Spirit  steps  in,  and  by  his  operations, 
discovers  the  law  precept,  and  opens  the  sinner's  eyes  to  see  it, 
and  makes  its  penalty  thunder  so  amazingly  loud  and  as  it  were 
flash  the  vengeance  of  God  in  the  sinner's  face,  until  he  feels  the 
.foretastes  of  hell  within  him.  But,  as  if  all  that  sin  had  done 
before  had  been  only  the  faint  notions  of  a  sleeping  man,  it  never 
shewed  its  strength  till  now.  Atheism,  hardness  of  heart,  lega- 
lity and  enmity  against  God,  rush  in  with  their  ten  thousands  at 
their  heels,  and  clearly  prove  that  nothing  short  of  the  omni- 
potent arm  and  soul-sanctifying  spirit  of  God  can  conquer  them, 
as  is  evident,  was  the  case  with  Paul  and  his  sins  while  the  law 
kept  at  a  distance.  He  was,  in  his  own  apprehension  alive,  and 
sin  appeared  dead;  but  when  the  commandment  came  with 
light  and  power  to  his  conscience,  being  sent  home  by  the  en- 
lightening and  convincing  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  then  sin 
revived  and  took  occasion  from  the  commandment  to  work  in 
him  all  manner  of  concupiscence.  As  water,  when  opposed  by 
a  dam,  rages  and  foams  with  greater  strength,  so  his  corruptions, 
enraged  by  such  oppositions,  threatened  to  carry  law,  gospel 
and  enlightening  influences  all  before  them.  Now,  since  this  is 
the  case,  what  abundant  strength  does  the  law  discover  in  sin. 

4th.  The  law  also  discovers  an  abundance  of  damning  weight 
in  sin.  One  offence  of  Adam  sunk  him  and  all  the  numberless 
thousands  of  his  ordinary  posterity  into  condemnation,  and  hai 
all  the  myriads  of  mighty  angels  who  surrounded  the  throne  of 
God  above,  come  to  man's  assistance,  and  helped  him  to  bear 
the  weight  of  sin,  it  would  have  sunk  him  and  them  together 
into  the  burning  pit  of  Tophet,  where  they  should  have  groaned 
forever  beneath  the  flaming  wrath  of  God.  Then  what  a  dread- 
ful damnation  must  all  the  aggravated  sins  of  one  poor  gospel- 
rejecting  sinner  deserve?  No  being,  whose  power  is  less  than 
infinite,  could  bear  up  under  the  load.  When  the  co-equal  Son 
of  God  himself  assumed  humanity,  and  stepped  in  as  a  substitute 
under  the  weight  of  sin,  his  innocent  humanity,  supported  by  his 
omnipotence,  was  so  crushed  that  he  sweat  great  drops  of  blood 
falling  down  to  the  ground,  and  to  expiate  the  guilt  of  sin  he  yield- 
ed up  the  Ghost.  O  how  dreadful  is  the  damning  weight  of  sin! 
How  did  it  bruise  the  innocent  Lamb  of  God,  until  it  brought 
him  to  the  grave?  Think  then,  O  sinners,  how  it  will  sink  you 
into  the  lowest  regions  of  hell,  when  through  all  eternity  you 
will  writhe  beneath  the  burnmg  wrath  of  God,  if  you  live  and 
die  in  a  Ohristless  state.  But,  some  may  say,  if  sin  so  abound 
as  to  produce  all  these  dreadful  consequences,  how  can  grace 
so  much  more  abound  as  to  prevent  them?     To  such  I  answer, 


203  THE    SUPfiRABOUNDiNG    GRACE    OV    GOD. 

God,  by  his  Spirit,  in  the  words  of  text,  informs  us  that  where 
sin  abounded  grace  did  much  more  abound,  which  brings  us — 

II.  To  mention  some  things  in  which  the  saving  grace  of  God 
in  Christ  does  much  more  abound. 

1st.  It  appears  that  grace  is  more  abundant  than  sin,  because 
in  a  just  and  holy  manner  it  completely  conquers  it,  and  re- 
moves all  its  dreadful  effects  from  pardoned  sinners.  A  weak 
man  may  put  to  death,  but  none,  save  God,  can  restore  to  life. 
Although  one  sin  conquered  and  killed  mankind,  yet  Almighty 
grace  can  subdue  millions  of  sins,  and  deliver  all  true  believers 
completely  from  them,  for  it  restores  the  spiritually  dead  to  life, 
it  sanctifies  all  their  powers  and  faculties,  and,  in  due  time,  will 
bring  them  to  greater  abundance  of  glory  and  bliss  than  Adam 
'lost,  and  will  confirm  them  in  the  full  enjoyment  of  heaven 
through  the  boundless  ages  of  eternity,  which  clearly  proves  that 
where  sin  abounded  grace  did  ?nuch  more  abound. 

2d.  Though  sin  abounded,  yet  grace  much  more  abounded  in 
carrying  on  its  glorious  designs  in  the  recovery  of  fallen  sinners. 
Had  sin  accomplished  all  to  which  it  tended,  what  would  have 
been  the  loss?  All  mankind.  But  all  nations,  before  God,  are 
but  as  the  drop  of  the  bucket,  or  the  small  dust  of  the  balance ; 
to  Him,  they  are  as  nothing,  and  less  than  nothing  and  vanity. 
One  act  of  the  Almighty  can  as  easily  create  a  host  of  angels  as 
an  atom.  How  small,  then,  to  the  Deity  would  the  expense 
have  been  had  all  the  human  race  been  lost?  But  what  did 
grace  expend  for  man's  recovery?  Heaven's  richest  treasure: 
^^For  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only  begoUe?i  Son, 
that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlast- 
ing  life.''''  The  second  person  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  took  our 
nature,  a  true  body  and  a  reasonable  soul,  and  connected  it  so 
strictly  with  his  own,  that  in  the  sight  of  the  law  and  justice  of 
God,  these  two  natures,  so  infinitely  different,  constitute  but  one 
person;  and  this  infinitely  glorious  Being  was  given  to  obey, 
bleed  and  die  for  the  redemption  of  poor,  fallen,  guilty  sinners, 
whom  grace  chose  to  redeem.  May  we  not  then  cry  out  with 
the  apostle,  '•''Herein  is  love;  not  that  we  loved  God,  but  that  he 
loved  us,  and  sent  his  Son  to  be  the  propitiation  for  our  sr/w." 

3d.  If  we  consider  the  righteousness  which  sin  destroyed  and 
that  which  grace  restores,  it  will  appear  ^^  Where  sin  abounded 
grace  did  much  more  abound.''''  What  was  the  righteousness  of 
innocent  Adam,  and  what  would  it  have  been  if  continued  in  for 
thousands  of  years?  Only  the  righteousness  of  a  mere  creature, 
which,  however  long  continued  in,  is  only  of  finite  worth ;  con- 
sequently the  righteousness  of  myriads  of  such  would  be  as  light 
as  a  feather  when  laid  in  the  balance  against  one  sin  committed 
against  an  infinite  God.  But  the  righteousness  which  grace  has 
provided  for  believers,  is  a  righteousness  wrought  out  by  Jesus 


THE    SUPERABOUNDING    GRACE    OK    GOD.  203 

Christ,  who  is  not  only  man  in  our  nature,  to  obey  and  suffer, 
but  also  the  Infinite  God,  in  the  same  person ;  and  as  his  suffer- 
ings were  those  of  an  Infinite  Being,  they  have  an  infinite  worth 
sufficient  to  be  laid  in  the  balance  with  the  demerit  of  sin,  and  as 
the  obedience  and  satisfaction  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  possessed 
a  dignity  in  proportion  to  that  of  his  person;  therefore,  they 
were  of  infinite  value,  and  were  sufficient  to  atone  for  the  sins 
of  all  true  believers,  or  the  sins  of  the  whole  world,  or  of  ten 
thousand  worlds.  This  infinite  righteousness  grace  has  provided, 
and  imputes  it  to  believers  for  their  justification.  How  clearly 
then  does  it  appear  that  '•'•where  sin  abounded,  grace  did  much 
abound.'" 

.  4th.  It  will  appear  that  grace  does  much  more  abound  than 
sin,  if  we  compare  the  covenant  head  sin  has  ruined  with  the 
covenant  grace  has  provided.  The  first  Adam,  as  a  covenant 
head  grace  has  provided.  The  first  Adam,  as  a  covenant  head, 
was  made  a  living  soul,  and,  had  he  continued  in  his  state  of  in- 
nocence, he  might  have  kept  life  for  all — himself  and  all  his  pos- 
terity: but  he  was  of  the  earth — earthly — a  fallible  creature,  and 
one  sin  might  and  did  throw  him  and  all  his  offspring  into  eter- 
nal ruin,  from  which  he  could  by  no  means  recover  himself  and 
them.  But  the  second  Adam,  provided  by  grace,  is  a  quicken- 
ing spirit.  The  Lord  from  heaven,  who  can  communicate  life 
to  the  dead,  so  that  believers  having  a  real  vital  union  with  this 
covenant  head,  are  not  only  interested  in  that  infinite  righteous- 
ness which  he  wrought  out,  but  they  are  also  inseparably  united 
to  the  Infinite  Eternal  Fountain  of  Life,  in  whom  as  Mediator, 
and  Covenant  Head,  it  hath  pleased  the  Father,  that  all  fullness 
of  grace  and  life  should  dwell,  yea,  in  him  dwells  all  the  fullness 
of  the  Godhead  bodily,-  therefore,  it  is  said  their  life  is  hid  with 
Christ  in  God,  secured  by  the  life  of  the  everlasting  God,  so  that 
while  Jesus,  who  is  very  God,  exists,  they  will  be  saved  from 
eternal  death;  therefore,  where  sin  abounded,  grace  did  much 
more  abound. 

5th.  This  will  further  appear,  if  we  consider  that  grace  has 
restored  believers  to  a  much  nearer  relation  to  God  than  that 
from  which  man  fell  by  reason  of  sin.  Innocent  man  sustained 
towards  God  the  relation  of  a  creature  to  his  Creator,  and  the 
meanest  insect  sustains  the''  same  relation.  Innocent  man  also 
sustained  a  covenant  relation  to  God,  and,  while  he  kept  that 
covenant,  God  sustained  to  him  the  relation*bf  a  friend  and  pro- 
tector; but  sin  might,  yea,  it  did  change  this  relation  into  that  of 
a  sin-avenging  Judge.  But  grace  effects  such  a  vital  union,  with 
Christ,  that  believers  are  so  joined  to  the  Lord  as  to  be  one  spi- 
rit— members  of  his  body — of  his  flesh  and  of  his  bones;  they, 
with  him,  constitute  one  mystical  body ;  they  are  one  with  him, 
who  is  essentially  one  with  the  Father  and  Holy  Spirit.     This 

27 


204  THE    SUPERABOUNDING   GRACE    OF    GOD. 

union  the  LordJesus  Christ  seems  to  have  in  view  when  he  says, 
''''That  they  all  may  be  one;  as  thou,  Father,  art  in  me,  and  I  in 
thee,  that  they  also  may  be  one  in  us;  that  the  world  may  believe 
that  thou  hast  sent  me;  and  the  glory  which  thou  gavest  me  I  have 
given  them;  that  they  may  be  one,  even  as  we  are  one;  I  in  them 
and  thou  in  me,  that  they  may  be  made  perfect  in  one;  and  that  the 
world  may  know  that  thou  hast  sent  me,  and  hast  loved  them  as 
thou  hast  loved  me.''''  When  behevers  are  made  one  with  Jesus 
Christ,  God,  the  Father,  by  a  judicial  act  acknowledges  them  as  his 
children:  '"''Behold,  what  manner  of  love  the  Father  hath  bestowed 
upon  us,  that  we  should  be  called  the  sons  of  God;''"'  being  the  chil- 
dren of  God  they  are  heirs  of  God  and  joint  heirs  with  Jesus 
Christ;  they  are  heirs  of  an  inheritance,  incorruptible,  undefiled, 
and  that  fadeth  not  away,  reserved  in  heaven  for  them;  yea,  all 
things  are  theirs,  whether  Paul  or  Apollos  or  Cephas,  or  the  world, 
or  life,  or  death,  or  things  present.,  or  things  to  come,  all  are  theirs, 
and  they  are  Christ'' s,  and  Christ  is  God's.  Now  does  this  rela- 
tion not  far  exceed  that  which  sin  destroyed?  therefore,  where 
sin  abounded^  grace  did  much  more  abound. 

6th.  The  glory  of  God  is  more  clearly  manifested,  and  the 
happiness  of  the  redeemed  in  heaven  more  exalted  than  if  sin 
had  never  entered  into  the  world.  If  perfect  innocence  had 
constantly  reigned  through  all  the  creation,  intelligent  beings 
might  have  known  something  of  the  perfections  of  Jehovah, 
which  would  then  have  been  manisfested;  but  how  little  would 
his  creation  and  the  dealings  of  his  common  providence  towards 
innocent  creatures,  have  preached  of  that  glorious  name  of  God. 
"TAe  Lord,  the  Lord  God,  merciful  and  gracious,  long  suffering 
and  abundant  in  goodness  and  truth,  shewing  mercy  unto  thou- 
sands, and  forgiving  iniquities,  transgressions  and  sins.''"'  How 
little  would  the  works  of  creation  and  Providence  have  shewn 
of  the  justice  and  righteousness  of  Jehovah  who  set  forth  his 
Son  to  be  a  propitiation  through  faith  in  his  blood,  to  declare  his 
righteousness  for  the  remission  of  sins  that  are  past,  that  he  might 
be  just,  and  the  justijier  of  him  that  believeth  in  Jesus.  Thus  grace 
hath  brought  about  a  glorious  method  of  salvation,  in  which 
mercy  and  truth  have  met  together,  and  righteousness  and  peace 
have  kissed  each  other,  and  into  which  adoring  angels  desire  to 
look,  and  through  all  eternity  sinners  redeemed  from  wrath  will 
contemplate  the  wisdom,  love  and  grace  therein  displayed,  with 
wonder,  joy  and  pfaise,  and  they  will  forever  dwell  in  the  pre- 
sence, and  enjoy  the  smiles  of  Jesus,  who  swam  through  a  sea  of 
blood,  yea,  through  the  burning  ocean  of  God's  wrath,  to  save 
them  from  the  lowest  abyss  of  misery,  and  bring  them  to  the 
highest  summit  of  glory  of  which  their  natures  are  capable. 
This  wonderful  plan  of  salvation,  which  astonishes  the  angels  of 
heaven  and  confounds  the  devils  of  hell,  in  which  the  divine  per- 


THE    SUPERABOUNDlNe    GRACE    OF    GOD.  205 

fections  shine  with  an  infinite  lustre,  never  would  have  been 
manifested  had  not  sin  entered  the  world.  But,  when  we  speak 
of  manifesting  the  divine  glory,  we  mean  to  the  creature — 
not  to  God  himself;  for  as  his  glory,  in  itself,  is  unchangeably  the 
same,  so  his  knowledge  of  it  is  unchangeable,  and  the  more  sin- 
less beings  see  of  God,  the  more  they  love  him;  for  if  they  saw 
any  thing  in  the  Deity  they  did  not  love,  they  would  be  sinfully 
imperfect;  and  delight  will  always  be  in  proportion  to  enjoy- 
ment of  the  beloved  object;  therefore,  the  creature's  happiness 
is  necessarily  in  proportion  to  their  enjoyment  of  God.  And  as 
God  loves  his  own  infinite  glory  supremely,  so  the  more  any 
creature  loves  God,  the  more  he  is  like  him,  and  the  more  he  is 
like  God,  the  more  glorious  he  is— from  all  which,  it  appears  that 
the  glory  and  happiness  enjoyed  by  the  redeemed  in  heaven,  and 
also  by  the  angels  there,  will  be  far  greater  than  if  sin  had  never 
entered;  and  whether  it  may  not  be  greater  in  its  sum  than  all 
the  bliss  and  glory  which  would  have  been  enjoyed  by  the 
whole  universe  of  men  and  angels,  if  they  had  all  stood  in  per- 
fection, I  shall  at  present,  leave  to  be  more  positively  deter- 
mined, either  by  a  clearer  insight  into  the  word  of  God,  or  by 
the  light  of  glory,  and  shall  proceed 

III.  To  improve  the  subject;  and 

1st.  Ifsin  have  such  an  infinite  evil  in  its  nature;  if  its  venom 
be  so  infectious,  its  strength  so  great,  and  its  damning  weight 
so  heavy,  then  it  is  not  wonderful  that  believers  hate  it,  groan  un- 
der it,  and  long  to  be  delivered  from  it.  Sinners,  in  their  Christ- 
less  state,  are  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,  and  are  not  sensible  of 
their  miserable  condition.  Their  eyes  are  so  blinded  by  the  God 
of  this  world,  that  they  cannot  see  the  infinite  evil  and  intrinsic 
vileness  of  sin;  but  they  will  cherish  it  and  indulge  in  it,  although 
it  should  be  at  the  expense  of  their  eternal  damnation.  They 
will  venture  upon  it  in  spite  of  all  the  restraints  of  education 
and  the  accusations  of  conscience,  the  faithful  warning  of  God, 
and  the  earnest  entreaties  of  a  beseeching  Saviour,  and  will  vol- 
untarily join  with  the  Devil  to  excuse  and  extenuate  it,  in  order 
to  pacify  an  uneasy  conscience.  But  it  is  very  difterent  with  the 
true  believer  who  has  had  the  law  brought  home  with  power  to 
his  conscience,  and  has  thereby  discovered  the  infinite  evil  and 
accursed  nature  of  sin,  and  has  been  brought  to  such  a  heartfelt 
sense  of  his  exposure  to  the  everlasting  wrath  of  a  sin-hating  God, 
and  of  his  own  inability  to  help  himself,  as  hath  brought  him  to 
the  necessity  of  venturing  his  eternal  salvation  upon  Christ,  then 
the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus 
Christ  shone  into  his  dark  and  benighted  mind,  and  gave  him 
such  views  of  the  infinite  glory  and  the  supreme  excellence  of 
the  Divine  Perfections,  that  he  hungers  and  longs  to  be  perfect- 
ly freed  from  sin,  and  to  be  conformed  into  the  image  of  God. 


206  THE    RUPERABOUNDING    GRACE    OF    GOD. 

Now,  he  sees  the  exceedmg  smfuhiess  of  sin,  and  views  it  in 
its  hateful,  filthy,  God-dishonoring  nature.  Now,  he  feels  it  as 
the  habitual  plague  and  torture  of  his  soul.  When  he  takes  a 
view  of  his  heart  and  sees  its  unfathomable  depths  of  iniquity; 
when  he  feels  inbred  corruption  prevailing  against  him,  how 
does  he  cry  out  with  the  apostle,  "O  wretched  man  that  lam, 
ivho  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body  of  this  death?''''  How  does 
he  mourn,  lament  and  groan  when  he  has  a  proper  sense  of  the 
heavy  burden  and  soul-polluting  nature  of  sin  ?  and  it  is  no 
wonder  that  he  does,  for  perfection  in  holiness  is  the  heaven  for 
which  his  soul  longs;  and  with  nothing  less  can  he  be  satisfied 
than  freedom  from  every  sin.  Well,  poor,  burdened  souls,  if 
this  be  the  longing  desire  of  your  hearts,  if  you  thirst  to  be  freed 
from  its>oul-defiling  and  God-dishonoring  nature,  and  long  to  ar- 
rive in  heaven,  because  Christ,  the  beloved  of  your  souls  is  there, 
then  lift  up  your  desponding  heads,  the  day  of  your  redemption 
draws  nigh;  shortly  your  beloved  Jesus  will  send  for  you  and 
take  you  home  to  your  father's  house,  where  sin  and  all  its  bitter 
effects  are  banished  to  an  eternal  distance,  for  there  is  neither 
death,  nor  sorrow,  nor  cj'ying  there,  and  there  God  shall  wipe  all 
tears  from  your  eyes. 

2nd.  From  what  has  been  said,  we  may  see  how  astonishing 
the  love  of  Christ  is,  who  submitted  to  have  a  thing  so  vile  and 
abominable  as  sin  is  imputed  to  him,  and  to  have  its  whole  con- 
demning weight  laid  upon  his  shoulders.  So  great  was  his  de- 
sire for  the  salvation  of  sinners,  that  he  thought  no  suflferings 
too  great,  no  price  too  dear,  to  purchase  their  redemption.  He 
knew  the  dreadfulness  of  his  Father's  wrath,  which  he  must  en- 
dure. He  knew  that  inexorable  justice  would  not  spare  him, 
but  would  exact  the  last  farthing;  he  knew  that  he  must  en- 
dure shame,  ignominy  and  death,  before  he  could  finish  the  work 
of  their  salvation;  yet  infinite  love,  stronger  than  death,  and 
that  could  not  be  drowned  by  the  floods  of  Almighty  vengeance, 
brought  him  skipping  over  all  these  burning  mountains,  to  pre- 
vent the  blow  of  divine  justice  from  falling  eternally  upon  guil- 
ty rebels;  see  him  leaving  his  Fathei-'s  bosom,  condescending  to 
assume  our  degraded  nature,  and  taking  upon  him  the  infinite 
weight  of  our  guilt,  which  would  have  crushed  ten  thousand 
worlds  of  men  and  angels  to  the  lowest  hell  and  kept  them  there 
forever;  see  him  in  the  form  of  a  servant,  reduced  to  the  lowest 
state  of  poverty,  despised  and  rejected  of  men;  and,  although  he 
was  the  Everlasting  God,  the  Creator  and  Upholder  of  all  worlds, 
hear  him  complaining,  the  Son  of  Man  hath  not  where  to  lay  his 
head.  Hear  him  under  the  apprehensions  of  the  dreadful  storm 
of  God's  wrath,  which  was  about  to  fall  upon  him,  crying  out. 
Now  is  my  soul  troubled.  See  him  bruised  in  the  wine  press  of 
the  wrath  of  God,  until  the  blood  is  forced  through  every  pore  of 


THE    SUPERABOUNDING    GRACE    OF    GOD.  207 

his  body;  see  him  before  Pilate's  bar, buffeted,spat upon,  crown- " 
ed  with  thorns,  and  condemned  to  die.  Behold  him  on  Mount 
Calvary,  crucified  between  two  thieves,  and  crying  out  beneath 
the  hidings  of  his  Father's  face,  "jE/oi,  Eloi,  lama,  Sabacthani; 
My  God,  7Jiy  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me?''''  and  giving  up  the 
ghost;  and  all  this  to  save  a  perishing  world  from  sin  and  hell. 
Well  may  angels  and  saints  wonder,  adore  and  admire  tJie  hredth 
and  length,  and  depth  and  height  of  the  love  of  Christ,  which 
passeth  knowledge.  O  sinners,  how  can  you  dare  to  despise  such 
a  salvation,  which  none  but  God  could  devise  and  which  could 
be  purchased  at  a  price  short  of  the  blood  of  his  own  son?  Re- 
member, if  you  continue  to  reject  this  salvation,  and  trample  un- 
der foot  the  blood  of  the  loving  and  compassionate  Jesus,  the  day 
is  coming  when  he  will  trample  you  in  his  fury,  and  tread  you 
down  in  his  sore  displeasure,  and  stain  all  his  raiment  in  the 
blood  of  your  souls,  and  bruise  you  eternally  in  the  wine  press 
of  his  wrath.  For  the  Lord's  sake,  and  for  your  precious  souls' 
sake,  be  persuaded  to  consider  this  in  time,  and  fly  to  Christ 
while  his  bowels  of  compassion  are  yearning  over  you,  and  he 
is  expostulating  with\'0u,  as  he  did  with  Israel  of  old ;  "jfZbio 
shall  I  give  thee  up,  Ephraim?  Hoiv  shall  I  deliver  thee,  Israel? 
How  shall  I  make  thee  as  Admah?  How  shall  I  set  thee  as  Ze- 
boim?  Mine  heart  is  turned  within  me;  my  repentings  are  kind- 
led together.'''' 

3d.  It  is  not  wonderful  that  convinced  sinners  are  so  weary 
and  heavy  laden  when  they  are  struggling  with  the  strength  of 
sin  and  pressed  with  its  damning  weight.  When,  by  the  influ- 
ences of  the  Holy  Spirit,  they  discover  its  unfathomable  depth, 
that  their  hearts  are  totally  depraved  and  opposed  to  the  holy 
nature  of  the  law;  when  they  feel  themselves  sinking  beneath 
the  enormous  load,  ready  to  fall  headlong  into  burning  Tophet, 
there  to  weep  and  wail  through  all  eternity,  in  the  society  of 
Devils  and  damned  ghosts,  beneath  the  flaming  billows  of  God's 
wrath — I  say  when  they  have  clear  views  of  these  things  they 
will  not  spend  their  precious  time  easy  and  unconcerned,  like 
the  thoughtless  and  guilty  multitude  around  them;  they  cannot 
satisfy  an  alarmed  conscience  with  a  few  heartless  words  in  form 
of  prayer,  an  external  round  of  duty,  nor  some  faint  resolutions 
of  future  amendment.  All  these  they  esteem  as  but  hay  and 
stubble  before  the  flames  of  hell.  Now,  and  not  till  now,  do 
they  begin,  in  good  earnest,  to  seek  salvation.  Now,  they  cry, 
with  the  Jews  under  the  preaching  of  Peter,  "Jlfe?i  and  brethren 
what  shall  we  do?''"'  And  never  was  freedom  sweeter  to  a  poor 
captive,  nor  a  pardon  to  a  condemned  criminal,  than  salva- 
tion is  to  an  awakened  sinner,  struggling  with  the  power  of  sin 
and  sinking  under  its  damning  weight. 

4th.  Is  there  such  a  damning  weight  in  sin  ?    Then  those  who 


308  THE    SUPERABOUNDING   GRACE   OF   GOD. 

can  live  easy  and  contented  in  a  Christless  state,  must  be  dead 
in  tresspasses  and  sin.  Poor  graceless  sinners,  who  can  live 
from  year  to  year  without  bowing  your  knees  before  God  in 
your  families,  orin  secret;  you  who  can  indulge  in  all  manner 
of  vicious  practices;  you  who  never  seriously  examine  the  state 
of  your  souls;  you  who  are  satisfied  with  the  mere  form  of  reli- 
gion, but  are  entire  strangers  to  communion  with  God,  in  whose 
souls  Christ  has  not  been  formed  the  hope  of  glory,  you  are  all 
dead  in  trespasses  and  sins;  and  if  your  eyes  were  not  blinded 
by  the  God  of  this  world,  you  could  not  rest  one  day  in  your 
present  condition.  Did  you  feel  the  power  of  your  sins;  were 
you  sensible  of  their  damning  weight;  had  you  any  suitable  ap- 
prehensions of  the  misery  of  an  unconverted  state;  did  you  see 
that  all  the  perfections  of  Jehovah  are  engaged  for  your  damna- 
tion, while  you  remain  strangers  to  a  saving  change  of  heart; 
had  you  a  proper  apprehension  of  what  a  dreadful  thing  it  is  to 
fall  into  the  hands  of  an  offended  God,  how  would  your  hearts 
be  wrung  with  anguish,  and  your  cries  for  mercy  pierce  the 
heavens?  but  you  can  live  as  unconcerned  as  if  all  were  well, 
without  spending  a  serious  thought  about  your  soul's  salvation. 
But  remember,  if  you  persist  in  your  present  course,  you  will 
soon  be  convinced  of  your  folly  and  madness.  You  are  already 
under  sentence  of  condemnation;  ere  long  that  sentence  will 
be  executed;  then  down  you  must  go  to  the  regions  of  damna- 
tion, sunk  beneath  the  damning  weight  of  sin,  crushed  by  the 
omnipotent  arm  of  the  Infinite  God,  where  wisdom,  power  and 
justice  will  be  eternally  exerted  to  make  you  completely  miserable. 
5th.  Is  the  damning  weight  of  sin  so  great?  Then  how  dread- 
ful is  that  threatening  of  Christ,  "i/"  ye  believe  not  that  I  am  Ae,  ye 
shall  die  in  your  sins^^''  i.  e.  they  shall  die  under  the  strength  and 
damning  weight  of  all  their  sins,  and  so  continue  through  all 
eternity.  If  one  sin  sunk  Adam  and  all  his  numerous  race  into 
condemnation,  how  dreadful  must  the  damnation  of  gospel  des- 
pisers  be,  who  are  chargeable  with  innumerable  multitudes  of 
sins?  and,  what  is  infinitely  more  dreadful  than  all,  they  are 
chargeable  with  the  sin  of  rejecting  an  offered  Saviour,  of 
trampling  under  foot  the  blood  of  the  Eternal  Son  of  God,  and 
of  rejecting  the  only  remedy  God  has  provided,  the  aggravation 
of  which  sin  neither  men  nor  angels  can  describe.  '•^He  that  des- 
pised Moses''  law,  died  without  mercy,  under  two  or  three  witness- 
es. Of  how  much  sorer  punishment  suppose  ye,  shall  he  he  thought 
worthy,  who  hath  trodden  under  foot  the  Son  of  God,  and  hath 
counted  the  blood  of  the  covenant,  wherewith  he  was  sanctified,  an 
unholy  thing,  and  hath  done  despite  to  the  Spirit  of  Grace?'''' 
Sinners,  who  are  out  of  Christ,  are  all  chargeable  with  this  crime. 
You  are  chargeable  with  rejecting  Christ  and  that  salvation 
which  infinite  wisdom,  love  and  grace  have  provided;  and  that 


THE    SUPERABOUNDING    GRACE    OF    GOD.  209 

threatening  of  Christ  already  quoted,  will  unavoidably  fall  upon 
you,  if  you  continue  in  your  present  state;  you  shall  die  in  your 
sins  and  be  eternally  crushed  beneath  their  damning  weight; 
and  where  will  you  fly  when  the  compassionate  Jesus  becomes 
your  enemy?  or  how  will  you  escape  from  the  fury  of  the  lion  of 
the  tribe  of  Judah,  when  his  wTath  begins  to  burn?  or  what  will 
your  feelings  be  when  he  comes  to  deal  with  you  for  your  heav- 
en-daring conduct  in  despising  his  grace  and  trampling  upon  his 
precious  blood?  When  you  see,  as  it  were,  all  his  perfections 
marching  in  battle  array  against  you,  and  engaged  for  your  ever- 
lasting ruin;  when  the  poisoned  arrows  of  Almighty,  which 
make  the  stoutest  Devils  in  hell  roar,  come  upon  you,  barbed 
with  wrath,  and  pierce  your  inmost  souls,  O  how  will  you  en- 
dure when  he  will  run  upon  you  with  all  his  fury,  grasp  you  in 
his  omnipotent  arms,  and  tear  you  to  pieces,  when  none  can  or 
dare  attempt  to  deliver  you?  Then,  in  vain,  will  you  cry  to  the 
rocks  of  the  mountains  to  cover  you  from  his  vengeance;  then 
the  rocks  and  mountains  will  be  as  deaf  to  your  entreaties  as  you 
are  now  to  the  calls  of  the  gospel. 

6th.  From  what  has  been  said,  we  may  know  how  deeply  be- 
lievers are  indebted  to  free  grace  for  their  deliverance  from  the 
reigning  power  and  damning  weight  of  sin.  How  should  they 
admire  and  adore  that  Sovereign  Free  Grace,  which  has  made 
them  vessels  of  mercy  and  monuments  of  grace,  while  thousands 
as  good  by  nature  as  they  perish  in  their  sins?  How  should  they 
be  filled  with  wonder,  gratitude  and  praise,  at  the  condescension 
of  the  Son  of  God,  who  freely  undertook  to  pay  the  debt  they 
owed  to  divine  justice,  and  never  flinched  from  the  work  till  he 
paid  the  last  farthing,  answered  all  the  demands  of  the  laiv  in 
their  behalf,  and  purchased  eternal  life  and  glory  for  them !  How 
should  they  praise  the  Spirit  of  Grace  who  has  convinced  them 
of  their  need  of  Christ,  who  cut  them  dff'from  all  their  refuges  of 
lies,  and,  at  length,  bound  their  wills  to  accept  of  salvation  on 
the  terms  of  free  grace,  while  others  have  quenched  their  con- 
victions and  returned  to  their  former  evil  courses,  like  the.  dog 
to  his  vomit^  and  the  soiv^  that  was  washed,  to  her  wallowins;  in 
the  mire.  O,  believer,  from  the  earliest  period  of  eternity,  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  has  been  employed  in  devising  and  executing 
a  plan  by  which  all  the  perfections  of  the  Godhead  may  be  glori- 
fied in  your  salvation;  and,  in  a  short  time,  he  will  put  you  in  full 
possession  of  all  the  bliss  and  glory  which  the  grace  of  God  de- 
signs for  you;  and  how  sweet  the  thought  when  you  shall  have 
safely  arrived  at  your  everlasting  rest !  then  you  will  be  far  be- 
yond the  reach  of  Satan's  temptations  and  completely  delivered 
from  all  trouble  and  distress.  Then,  when  you  view  what  God 
has  bestowed  upon  you,  and  what  you  have  deserved,  when  you 
look  down  upon  hell  and  see  the  vast  difference  Free  Grace  has 


210  THE    SUPERABOUNDING    GRACE    OF    GOD. 

made  betwixt  you  and  the  inhabitants  of  those  dark  regions;  O 
what  gratitude  and  dehght  will  you  feel  when  you  reflect — Yon- 
der lake  was  my  deserved  portion — These  had  been  my  doleful 
groans — these  my  endless  pains — that  dark  dungeon  my  eternal 
prison,  had  not  Free  Grace  hiterposed.  Yonder  death  was  the 
wages  of  my  sin ;  but  this  eternal  life  is  the  gift  of  God,  through 
Jesus  Christ,  my  Lord. 

7  th.  From  what  has  been  said,  we  may  see  how  certain  the 
believer's  salvation  is  through  grace.  Sin  has  ruined  the  human 
race,  and  exposes  them  to  eternal  death;  but  more  abounding 
grace  destroys  the  power  of  sin  in  their  souls,  and  will,  at  last, 
remove  its  very  being  from  them.  The  covenant  head  grace 
has  provided  is  a  physician  of  infinite  skill,  who  cures  all  diseas- 
ed souls  that  come  to  him  to  be  healed.  '•'•He  was  icounded  for 
our  transgressions^  he  vms  bruised  for  our  iniquities;  the  chastise- 
ment of  our  peace  was  upon  him;  and  with  his  stripes  we  are  heal- 
ed,''"' Grace  has  provided  for  the  believer  every  thing  necessary 
for  his  justification,  sanctification  and  complete  salvation. 

8th.  When  we  view  abounding  sin,  which  reigns  unto  death, 
and  much  more  abounding  grace,  which  reigns  through  righte- 
ousness unto  eternal  life,  it  is  a  matter  of  great  moment  for  us  to 
know  under  the  government  of  which  of  these  we  are.  All  who 
hear  me  this  day  are  either  under  the  government  of  sin,  and 
slaves  to  their  lusts,  or  under  that  of  grace,  with  Jesus  Christ  for 
the  captain  of  their  salvation  and  the  heirs  of  eternal  life.  That 
you  may  decide  to  which  of  these  you  belong,  I  call  upon  you 
for  impartial  answers  to  these  questions: 

1st.  Have  you  ever  been  made  truly  weary  of  the  government 
of  sin  ?  Has  the  law  of  God  been  brought  home  to  your  con- 
sciences in  its  length,  breadth  and  spirituality?  Have  you  been 
convinced  you  were  in  a  graceless  state,  and  that,  continuing  in 
this  condition,  you  must  be  damned  forever?  And  have  you 
been  brought  to  cry  for  mercy  as  earnestly  as  a  condemned 
criminal  would  for  a  pardon  ?  If  you  are  strangers  to  these  ex- 
ercises, then,  as  the  Lord  liveth,  you  are  not  under  the  govern- 
ment of  grace;  and,  if  you  live  and  die  in  your  present  condi- 
tion, you  will  sink  forever  beneath  the  damning  weight  of  sin  in 
that  lake  which  burns  ivithjlre  and  brimstone.  If  you  have  not 
taken  the  first  steps  towards  reconciliation  to  God,  it  is  evident 
you  are  under  the  dominion  of  sin.  But  these  steps  you  may 
have  taken;  yet,  if  you  have  gone  no  farther,  you  are  strangers 
to  the  government  of  grace. 

2nd.  Have  you  been  brought  to  see  that  your  own  righteous- 
ness, your  prayers,  tears,  groans,  vows  and  good  works, 
are  but  as  dross  and  dung  in  the  sight  of  the  Holy  God ;  that 
these  things,  instead  of  constituting  a  righteousness  for  your  jus- 
tification, if  depended  upon,  will  be  as  Tuel  to  burn  you  in  hell 


THE    SUPEKABOUNDING    GRACE    OF    GOD.  211 

forever?  Have  you  seen  clearly  that  nothing  short  of  the  grace 
of  God  can  save  you  from  the  government  of  sin  and  from  all  its 
bitter  consequences?  Therefore,  as  poor  beggars,  have  you 
cast  yourselves  at  the  footstool  of  a  Sovereign  God? 

3rd.  Has  the  Holy  Spirit  given  you  a  view  of  the  glory,  beauty, 
and  excellency  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  God  Man  Media- 
tor? Have  you  seen  his  fullness,  willingness  and  sufficiency,  to 
save  to  the  uttermost,  all  who  come  unto  God  by  him  ?  Have  you 
seen  such  a  glory  and  excellency  in  the  plan  of  salvation  by 
Free  Grace  as  has  gained  your  hearty  consent  to  its  terms,  so 
that  you  have  no  desire  to  be  saved  in  any  other  way  ? 

4th.  Do  you  habitually  pant  after  a  sense  of  God's  love  and 
conformity  to  him?  Does  the  enjoyment  of  his  presence, 
though  imperfect  by  faith,  constitute  your  chief  happiness  in  this 
world?  Is  the  design  of  your  attending  the  means  of  grace  that 
you  may  have  communion  with  God  ?  Is  the  withdrawing  of 
the  light  of  his  countenance  distressing  to  your  soul;  and  are 
you  uneasy  until  it  is  restored?  Is  perfect  conformity  to  him  in 
holiness,  and  the  full  enjoyment  of  him,  and  perfect  freedom  from 
sin,  the  heaven  your  souls  earnestly  desire? 

5th.  Are  your  hearts  moulded  for  living  upon  that  grace  which 
is  treasured  up  in  Christ?  When  your  consciences  are  polluted 
with  guilt,  do  you  habitually  apply  to  Christ  for  relief?  Do  you 
regularly  apply  to  him  for  light  and  strength  to  subdue  indwell- 
ing sin,  and  for  grace  to  live  to  the  glory  of  God?  If,  upon  a 
close  and  impartial  examination,  you  can  declare,  in  the  pres- 
ence of  God,  that  these  have  been  your  exercises,  and  that  such 
are  the  habitual  frames  of  your  minds,  then  you  have  reason  to 
conclude  that  you  are  under  the  sweet  government  of  Grace, 
and  although  you  have  many  struggles  with  indwelling  sin,  al- 
though sometimes  fear  that  some  day  you  will  fall  by  the  hand 
of  your  enemies,  yet  Christ,  the  captain  of  your  salvation,  will 
take  you  home  conquerors,  and  more  than  conquerors  over  all 
your  enemies.  All  the  perfections  of  Jehovah  are  engaged  for 
your  complete  and  eternal  salvation,  and,  ere  long,  he  will  put 
you  in  full  possession  of  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  be- 
fore the  foundation  of  the  world,  when  you  shall  be  fully  satisfied 
in  the  immediate  sight  and  full  fruition  of  God  through  all  eter- 
nity. 

But  if  your  consciences  bear  witness  against  you,  that  you 
are  strangers  to  these  exercises,  then,  as  sure  as  there  is  truth  in 
the  word  of  God,  you  are  under  the  dominion  of  sin,  and  in  a 
state  of  enmity  against  God ;  and,  if  you  continue  in  your  pres- 
ent state  of  rebellion,  sentence  of  condemnation  will  shortly  be 
executed  upon  you.  Then  you  will  be  convinced  to  your  eter- 
nal sorrow,  how  dreadful  it  is  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  Living 
God;  for  then  you  will  feel  the  iron  rod  of  his  vengeance;  then 

28 


12  THE    SUPERABOUNDING   GRACE   OF-OOD. 

you  will  be  bruised  in  the  wine  press  of  his  wrath;  then  you  will 
sink  beneath  the  damning  load  of  all  your  sins,  and  particulary 
beneath  the  soul-damning  sin  of  slighting  the  blood  of  Christ. 
Poor,  Christless  souls,  reflect  on  your  sad  condition;  be  willing 
to  know  the  worst  of  your  case,  pray  earnestly  for  the  awaken- 
ing influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit;  flee  to  Christ  while  the 
door  of  mercy  stands  open  to  receive  you  and  the  willing  arms 
of  Christ  are  expanded  to  embrace  you.  He  is  now  calling  upon 
you  to  turn  and  live.  But  if  you  close  your  ears  against  his  in- 
vitations and  reject  his  offers  of  salvation,  you  must  perish  in 
your  sins,  and  your  blood  will  be  upon  your  own  heads. 


SERMON   XXI. 


THE  QVAIilFICATIOIVS  AND  DUTIE§  OF  A  AEUVISTEB  OF  TH£ 

GOSPEIi. 


For  I  have  not  shunned  to  declare  unto  you  all  the  counsel  of  God. 
Acts,  xx.  27. 


The  subject  matter  of  all  the  sermons  of  that  most  eminent 
apostle,  Paul,  was,  ''^Repentance  towards  God^  and  faith  towards 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.''''  He  insists  upon  these  doctrines  on  all 
occasions;  and,  indeed,  that  sermon  which  has  not  repentance, 
faith  and  regeneration  for  its  leading  topics,  is  scarcely  worth 
hearing. 

The  conversion  of  sinners  was  the  grand  design  of  the  apos- 
tle in  preaching  the  gospel ;  and  every  faithful  minister,  at  this 
day,  has  in  view  the  same  end.  And  wherever  he  opens  his 
mouth,  whether  in  public  or  private,  repentance  and  faith  are 
his  themes. 

Although  Paul  had  the  witness  of  the  Holy  Ghost  that  bonds 
and  afflictions  would  attend  him  wherever  he  was  called  to 
exercise  his  ministry;  and  although  he  knew  not  what  trials  and 
difficulties  would  befall  him  at  Jerusalem,  yet  such  was  his  con- 
stancy and  steadfastness  in  the  cause  of  his  master,  that  he  is 
resolved  that  nothing  shall  move  him.  Life  itself  ceases  to  be 
dear  to  him,  and  he  counts  all  things  as  nought,  if  he  may  finish 
his  course  with  joy,  and  complete  his  ministry  to  divine  accept- 
ance. And,  in  his  farewell,  after  assuring  them  that  they  should 
see  his  face  no  more  in  this  world,  he  appeals  to  their  conscien- 
ces that  he  had  faithfully  discharged  his  duty  to  them  as  an 
apostle,  and  that  he  was  clear  of  the  blood  of  souls.  He  held 
back  nothing  in  doctrine  which  could  be  profitable  to  their 
souls.  His  life  was  blameless  and  exemplary.  Therefore,  with 
a  clear  conscience  before  God  and  man,  he  calls  them  to  wit- 
ness that  he  was  pure  from  the  blood  of  all  men:  ^'•For  I  have 
not  shunned  to  declare  unto  you  all  the  counsel  of  God."  Here  is 
expressed,  in  a  few  words,  the  whole  duty  of  the  minister  of 
the  gospel,  viz.  to  declare  the  whole  counsel  of  God;  and  this  duty 


214  THE  aUAUKICATIONS  AND  DUTIKS 

is  to  be  performed  with  iaithfulness  and  vigilance,  if  he  would 
be  clear  of  the  blood  of  all  men. 

By  the  counsel  of  God,  we  understand  the  gospel  of  Christ, 
or  the  revelation  of  his  will  in  the  gospel,  which  discovers  to 
sinners  their  guilt  and  misery,  their  inability  to  rescue  them- 
selves, and  unveils  a  glorious  remedy  in  Christ,  a  plan  of  salva- 
tion, by  the  which  God  can  be  just,  and  justify  the  ungodly  sin- 
ner trusting  in  Jesus. 

The  Gospel  is  very  properly  called  the  counsel  of  God,  since 
it  originated  in  wisdom  eternal,  and  is  the  unalterable  determi- 
nation of  God's  will  towards  men,  and  comprehends  the  plan 
by  which  they  may  be  saved.  Consequently  it  is  the  minister's 
duty  to  declare  faithfully  all  the  counsel  of  God, 

Then  let  us  consider — 

I.  The  qualifications  of  a  minister  of  the  gospel. 

II.  His  duty.     He  must  c?ec/arc  all  the  counsel  of  God. 

III.  Apply  the  subject. 

I.  The  qualifications  of  a  minister  of  the  gospel.  And 
First.  It  is  necessary  that  all  ministers  of  the  gospel  should 
be  savingly  converted,  experimentally  acquainted  with  the  work 
of  regeneration  in  their  own  souls.  If  they  are  ignorant  of  this, 
if  they  have  never  been  born  again;  if  they  have  never  entered 
in  at  the  strait  gate  of  conversion,  although  their  specula- 
tive knowledge  may  be  great,  their  outward  conduct  and 
deportment  spotless  to  the  view  of  the  world — they  are 
still  the  servants  of  sin  and  bond  slaves  to  the  devil.  In  heart, 
they  are  enemies  to  Christ  and  his  cause.  Then,  how  is  it  that 
they  can  advance  the  glory  of  God,  the  interest  of  the  Redeemer, 
and  promote  the  salvation  of  dying  souls?  Can  they  travail  in 
birth  for  the  redemption  of  the  people,  before  Christ  is  formed 
in  them  the  hope  of  glory?  Can  they  tell  poor  blinded  sinners 
of  the  glories  oflmmanuel;  the  sweetness  of  his  love;  the  joys 
of  pardoned  sin;  of  the  unspeakable  pleasure  to  be  found  in  com- 
munion with  God,  when  they  are  strangers  to  all  this  them- 
selves, have  neither  known  Christ  nor  beheld  his  glory?  It  is 
the  business  of  the  minister  to  direct  inquiring  souls  who  feel 
themselves  lost,  and  know  not  what  to  do.  They  are  the  very 
persons  to  assist  the  penitent  in  the  struggles  of  the  new  birth. 
Their  ignorance  or  want  of  skill  at  this  critical  juncture,  would 
forever  ruin  the  soul.  Surely  the  unconverted  preacher  cannot 
support  the  sinking  sinner  by  showing  from  his  own  experience 
that  his  case  is  not  singular;  that  all  Christians  have  been  in 
the  same  situation,  when  he  knows  nothing  about  it  himself;  or 
how  shall  he  direct  the  unconverted  in  the  strait  or  narrow  way, 
or  caution  them  against  the  dangerous  resting  places  and  legal 
refuges  in  which  the  Devil  and  his  own  deceitful  soul  would 
persuade  them  to  seek  safety !    How  shall  he  describe  the  snares 


OF  A  MINISTER  OF  THE  GOSPEL.  215 

and  deep  pits  which  lie  upon  all  sides  of  the  narrow  path,  into 
which  if  the  sinner  should  fall,  he  would  be  ruined  forever,  when 
he  has  never  travelled  in  the  way  himself? 

Secondly.  As  it  is  necessary  that  he  should  be  born  of  God 
by  the  agency  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  he  should  also  live  habitually 
as  a  scholar  at  the  feet  of  Jesus,  under  the  teachings  of  the 
Divine  Spirit.  This  is,  indeed,  the  common  privilege  of  all  true 
believers.  So  says  the  apostle:  ^^If  any  man  have  not  the  Spirit 
of  Christy  he  is  none  of  hisf  but  it  is  the  peculiar  privilege  of 
those  that  attempt  to  preach  the  gospel  or  declare  the  counsel 
of  God.  Where  is  his  counsel  revealed?  In  his  Word.  But 
the  Word  of  God  is  a  sealed  book  to  every  unconverted  soul. 
"TAe  natural  man  receiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God; 
for  they  are  foolishness  unto  him;  neither  can  he  know  them,  he- 
cause  they  are  spir'itually  discerned.''''  It  is  true  the  natural  man 
may  understand  the  doctrines  of  the  Bible  as  a  science;  may 
reason  subtil ely  upon  the  most  important  truths;  may  act  the 
critic;  display  his  abilities  with  great  popularity  upon  intricate 
points  of  divinity;  and  yet  be  as  blind  as  a  mole  to  the  spiritual 
meaning  of  scripture.  An  ignorant  negro  who  had  never  learned 
his  letters,  but  had  embraced  Christ,  understands  it  unspeakably 
better  than  the  wisest  man  in  an  unregenerate  state.  The 
preacher  who  is  not  savingly  converted  to  God  must  be  igno- 
rant of  the  spiritual  meaning  of  the  gospel,  and,  of  course,  will 
only  preach  himself  and  not  Christ.  His  aim  is  to  shew  him- 
self the  great  man — the  scholar,  or  eminent  divine;  not  to  feed 
the  lambs  of  Christ;  they  find  no  spiritual  food  in  his  doctrine. 
He  scarcely  ever  staggers  upon  their  situation  or  touches  their 
experience.  He  takes  no  pleasure  in  pointing  out  the  Spirit's 
work  in  regeneration;  he  hunts  not  out  the  false  resting  places 
of  the  formalist;  nor  seeks  to  drive  him  from  his  refuge  of  lies;  he 
never  dwells  upon  the  feelings,  the  exercises,  the  conflicts  and 
comforts  of  the  people  of  God.  If  he  tries  to  preach  experi- 
mentally, he  goes  round  upon  the  outside  of  the  matter,  and  never 
gets  farther  than  the  surface  of  vital  Godliness — always  treating 
of  it  in  general  terms. 

Thirdly.  It  is  necessary  that  the  preacher  should  be  called  of 
God  to  the  ministerial  office  especially.  Says  the  apostle, 
^'A7id  no  man  taketh  this  honor  unto  himself  but  he  that  is  called 
of  God,  as  ivas  Aaron.''''  God,  by  the  mouth  of  Jeremiah,  tells 
us  why  some  ministers  are  not  useful:  '''•I sent  them  not,  nor  com- 
manded them;  therefore,  they  shall  not  profit  this  people  at  alW'' 

If  a  man  has  the  witness  in  his  own  conscience,  that  he  has 
never  been  born  again,  he  has  every  reason  to  believe  that  he 
was  never  called  of  God.  Yet  it  is  very  evident  that  every  good 
man  and  genuine  Christian,  who  has  the  witness  of  the  Spint  in 
his  soul,  that  he  is  born  from  on  high,  is  not  qualified  to  declare 
the  counsel  of  God.     None  but  those  that  are  called  by  God 


216  THE  ftUAUFI CATIONS  AND  DUTIKS 

specially,  as  was  Aaron,  are  qualified  for  the  duties  of  the  min- 
istry. But,  is  it  asked  if  this  call  is  an  audible  voice  from  hea- 
ven? This  certainly  is  not  to  be  expected  at  this  age  of  the 
ciiurch.  It  is  not  a  particular  impulse  upon  the  mind  to  under- 
take this  office.  For  this  may  be  only  a  delusion  of  the  grand 
deceiver  of  mankind.  A  call  to  the  work  of  the  ministry  pre- 
supposes some  clear  spiritual  evidences  that  the  person  is  con- 
verted; that  he  is,  in  Christ  Jesus,  acquainted  with  the  sweets 
of  God's  covenant.  It  supposes  a  habitual  impression  upon  his 
mind  of  the  doleful  situation  of  sinners  out  of  Christ,  and  an  ear- 
nest, continual  desire  to  warn  them  of  their  danger,  and  con- 
vince them,  by  his  own  experience,  of  the  comforts  of  religion, 
of  the  fitness  and  excellency  of  Jesus,  and  his  willingness  to 
save.  These  things,  together  with  the  providence  of  God  and 
his  own  exercises,  shutting  him  up  to  the  necessity  of  undertak- 
ing the  work — a  competent  degree  of  natural  abilities,  a  reason- 
able education,  and  a  door  open  for  public  usefulness,  is  what  I 
humbly  conceive  to  be  a  call  for  the  work  of  the  ministry. 

II.  Of  the  duties  of  the  minister.     He  must  declare  all  the  coun- 
sel of  God. 

He  must  use  every  possible  means  to  alarm  and  awaken 
Christless  sinners  from  their  security,  and  bring  them  to  a  sense 
of  their  danger  and  guilt.  He  must  use  every  argument  to  con- 
vince them  of  the  horrors  of  an  unconverted  state;  he  must  tell 
them  the  worst  of  their  case — roar  the  thunders  of  Sinai  in 
their  ears,  and  flash  the  lightnings  of  Jehovah's  vengeance  in 
their  faces.  What  says  God  to  his  messengers?  ^'^Cry  aloud, 
spare  not;  lift  up  thy  voice  like  a  trumpet,  and  shew  my  people 
their  transgressions,  and  the  house  of  Jacob  their  5zns."  And 
who,  my  brethren,  can  avoid  this  duty — who  that  sees  dying 
souls  falling  into  hell  by  thousands  can  withhold  his  warning 
voice?  What  parent  could  see  his  house  in  flames,  ready  to  fall 
upon  his  sleeping  children,  and  not  cry  out  with  all  the  vehemence 
of  affection,  and  use  every  effort  to  awaken  and  rescue  them 
from  the  dreadful  danger?  Then,  how  can  ministers  refrain  from 
thundering  the  terrors  of  the  law?  or  how  can  they  denounce  its 
terrors  in  a  cool,  dispassionate  manner,  when  the  great  majority 
of  their  congregations,  and  of  the  whole  world  is  staggering  upon' 
the  crumbling  brink  of  hell,  and  daily  tumbling  into  the  eternal 
flames  ?  Let  them  hear  or  not,  though  the  world  scorn  and  revile 
us,  call  us  law  preachers  and  madmen,  Methodists — do  this  Ave 
must,  or  we  will  be  the  worst  of  murderers;  the  blood  of  sinners 
will  be  required  at  our  hands — their  damnation  will  lie  at  our 
door.  In  Ezekiel,  we  are  told  that  "7f  the  watchman  see  the 
sword  come,  and  blow  not  the  trumpet,  and  the  people  be  not  warned-^ 
if  the  sword  come,  and  take  any  person  from  among  them,  he  is 
taken  away  in  his  iniquity;  but  his  blood  will  I  require  at  the  watch- 
man's hand^"  These  are  the  words  of  God  to  his  servant  Eze- 
kiel. 


OF  A  MINISTER  OF  THE  GOflPBL.  ^1  7 

2nd.  That  he  may  declare  all  the  counsel  ofGod^  the  minister 
should  try  the  foundation  of  his  people's  hopes,  labor  to  drive 
the  formalist  and  selt-deceiver  from  their  false  refuges,  and  sur- 
round them  upon  every  side,  with  the  infallible  marks  of  the 
Christian,  from  the  word  of  God;  use  the  most  convincing  argu- 
ments to  prove  them  still  in  a  state  of  wrath.  He  must  plant 
the  artillery  of  the  law  against  their  hopes,  until,  like  Noah's 
dove,  they  find  no  resting  place  for  their  feet.  And  never  was 
there  a  time  which  called  more  loudly  than  the  present  for  the 
exercise  of  this  duty.  The  church  is  crowded  with  lukewarm 
haodiceans,  having  the  form  of  Godliness,  but  destitute  of  the  vital 
power;  on  their  own  apprehension  rich  and  increased  in  goods — 
in  need  of  nothing — when  they  are  wretched,  and  miserable,  and 
poor,  destitute  of  Christ  and  eternal  life;  who  cannot  bear  sound 
doctrine,  are  afraid  to  come  to  the  light,  lest  their  deeds  should 
be  reproved.  One  calls  himself  a  weak  believer,  in  hopes  he 
has  a  little  grace.  Another  does  the  most  he  can,  in  hopes  that 
Christ  will  do  the  rest.  A  third,  is  a  poor  ignorant  creature ;  he 
can  do  nothing,  but  must  abide  God's  time.  A  fourth  has  not 
attained  the  faith  of  assurance,  but  is  assured  that  he  has  the 
faith  of  adherence.  A  fifth  is  a  strict  observer  of  the  law — per- 
forms every  known  duty.  Like  the  young  man  in  the  gospel, 
he  says,  "  J.ZZ  these  have  I  observed  from  my  youth.''"'  All  these 
call  themselves  Christians,  and  are  continually  gaping  for  a  com- 
fort— looking  to  ministers  of  Christ  to  prophesy  smooth  things, 
to  cry,  peace,  peace.  They  would  hear  the  gospel  preached 
upon  legal  terms.  Oh,  my  brethren,  by  comforting  such  weak 
believers,  or  rather  hypocrites,  we  would  make  their  damnation 
sure.     Says  pious  Erskine — 

*'Much  rather  ought  we  in  God's  name  to  place 
His  great  artillery  straight  against  their  face, 
And  throw  hot  Sinai  thunderbolts  around, 
To  burn  their  tow'ring  hopes  down  to  the  ground. 
To  make  the  pillars  of  their  pride  to  shake, 
And  damn  their  doing  to  the  burning  lake. 
To  curse  the  doers  unto  endless  thrall 
That  never  did  continne  to  do  all." 

Srd.  It  is  his  duty  to  direct  the  awakened  sinner  to  Christ. — - 
This  is  one  of  the  most  difficult  parts  of  the  minister's  work,  and 
it  is  ten  thousand  to  one  that  he  will  ruin  many  souls,  if  he  has 
not  passed  through  the  strait  gate  himself,  if  he  has  no  experi- 
mental knowledge  of  the  narrow  way. 

He  must  convince  the  awakened  sinner  that  the  vengeance 
of  God  pursues  him  every  moment  while  out  of  Christ — that 
there  is  no  safety  a  hair's  breadth  short  of  a  sound  conversion. — 
He  must  shew  him  the  great  danger  of  losing  his  convictioos  and 


218  THE  Q.UALIFICATION8  AND  DUTIES 

quenching  the  motions  of  the  Spirit,  lest  his  day  of  grace  pass 
away,  and  he  be  given  up  to  hardness  of  heart  and  reprobacy  of 
mind.  He  should  point  out  to  the  penitent  all  the  wiles  and  in- 
trigues of  the  Devil  and  his  own  wicked  heart,  designed  to  stifle 
his  convictions,  or  settle  him  short  of  a  saving  faith  in  the  Lord 
Jesus.  He  must  cut  off  all  his  hopes,  and  reduce  him  to  despair 
of  salvation,  save  through  the  atonement  of  Christ.  When  sink- 
ing into  despondency  and  the  gloom  of  melancholy,  he  must 
encourage  him,  by  shewing  him  from  the  word  of  God,  and 
from  his  own  experience,  that  his  case  is  not  hopeless;  that  it  is 
in  this  w^ay  that  the  Spirit  leads  the  soul  from  death  unto  life. — 
He  must  press  home  upon  him  the  necessity  of  believing  and 
flying  to  Jesus;  the  danger  of  lingering  in  conviction  and  waiting 
for  qualifications  to  come  to  Christ.  He  must  shew  him  that 
Jesus  invites  and  entreats  him  to  come  just  as  he  is — wretched, 
miserable,  guilty  and  blind — that  the  most  vile  hell-deserving 
sinner  would  be  welcome.  He  must  point  out  the  door  of  hope, 
and  display  the  willingness  and  power  of  the  blessed  Jesus,  to 
pardon,  justify  and  save — acquaint  him  with  all  the  promises  of 
God's  Word.  And  yet  it  is  more  than  he  dare  do  to  speak  com- 
fort to  him  in  his  present  condition.  This  is  Christ's  preroga- 
tive. All  the  ministers  on  earth  could  not  impart  to  the  soul  one 
drop  of  spiritual  comfort.  False  comfort  they  might  give;  but 
the  joys  of  pardoned  sin,  or  that  peace  in  believing  arisingfrom 
the  application  of  redeeming  blood,  are  bestowed  by  God  only. 
It  is  also  necessary  that  we  shew  the  awakened  sinner  that  the 
benefflts  of  the  everlasting  covenant  are  free,  but  that  he  must 
fly  to  Christ  before  he  can  enjoy  them.  When  the  penitent  is 
released  from  bondage,  and  finds  peace  with  God,  then  it  is  the 
business  of  the  preacher  to  try  the  foundation  of  his  hope,  to  dis- 
tinguish between  true  conversion  and  the  delusions  of  Satan ;  to 
undeceive  him,  if  in  an  error,  and  if  on  the  right  foundation,  to 
strengthen  and  encourage  him. 

4th.  Another  duty  of  the  herald  of  the  cross,  is  to  comfort  the 
people  of  God.  Thus  says  the  commandment,  ^^  Comfort  ye, 
comfort  ye,  my  people,  saith  my  God.''''  But  remember  that  none 
but  those  who  are  in  Christ  Jesus  are  to  be  comforted.  There 
is  no  comfort  in  all  the  word  of  God  for  others.  It  speaks  to 
the  soul  out  of  Christ  no  milder  language  than  ^'•Indignation  and 
wrath,  tribulation  and  anguish  upon  every  soul  of  man  that  doeth 
eviV  Then,  lest  we  preach  peace  to  the  ungodly,  let  us  carefully 
ascertain  the  Christian  character,  that  none  may  mistake.  Then 
may  we  freely  venture  to  speak  to  the  believer  all  the  comfort 
contained  in  the  book  of  God.  Indeed  I  know  not  how  we  can 
better  administer  comfort  to  the  children  of  God.  When  we  de- 
scribe the  Spirit's  work  and  the  exercise  of  believers  in  regene- 
ration; when  we  describe  their  exercises  under  a  viaw  of  the 


OF  A  MINISTER  OF  THE  GOSPEL.  219 

glory  of  God,  as  it  shines  in  the  face  of  Jesus;  when  we  describe 
their  joys  in  communion  with  God;  or  when  we  picture  their 
feelings  under  the  hidings  of  their  heavenly  Father's  face;  their 
desires,  longings  and  anxieties,  after  the  beloved  of  their  souls; 
when  we  describe  the  Christian's  views  of  the  attributes  of  Deity, 
his  views  of  Christ  and  of  sin,  and  that  in  the  most  scriptural 
manner,  the  Divine  Spirit  shines  in  upon  the  heart,  and  enables 
the  soul  to  see  his  own  case  described,  and  witness  those  very 
exercises  and  evidences  thus  drawn  from  the  word  of  God — then 
indeed  they  have  rational  and  solid  foundation  of  comfort;  then 
they  have  the  witness  of  both  the  word  and  spirit  of  truth,  that 
they  are  children  of  God,  and  heirs  of  immortal  glory. 

III.  Apply  the  subject.  And  this  we  will  do  by  showing  how 
ministersof  the  gospel  should  declare  the  counsel  of  God,  if  they 
would  be  clear  of  the  blood  of  souls. 

1st.  Wemxxsi  declare  all  the  counsel  of  God.  We  may  preach 
such  sermons  as  no  church  judicature  could  condemn,  and  yet 
be  as  guilty  of  the  blood  of  sinners,  as  if  we  preached  heresy. — 
For  instance.  Sabbath  after  Sabbath,  we  may  tell  sinners 
^Hhey  must  be  horn  again,'^  or  be  damned,  and  what  will  it  sig- 
nify ?  If  we  do  not  explain  what  conversion  is,  and  show  the 
exercises  of  the  soul  in  jtassing  from  death  to  life,  no  one  will 
ever  be  convicted.  We  may  lay  down  all  the  marks  and  evi- 
dences of  grace  in  the  gospel,  and  if  we  do  this  in  general  terms, 
without  guarding  them  particularly,  every  hypocrite  and  formal 
professor  in  the  congregation  will  apply  them  to  himself,  and 
strengthen  his  false  hopes  for  heaven. 

Love  to  God  is  a  sure  and  undoubted  mark  of  the  new  crea- 
ture; yet  every  carnal  hypocrite  believes  that  he  loves  God. — 
But,  if  we  faithfully  describe  the  spiritual  views  of  the  divine 
glory — of  the  beauty  and  excellence  of  the  divine  attributes — 
which  precede  all  true  love  to  God — this  may  strike  some  abid- 
ing conviction. 

Hatred  to  sin  is  a  real  mark  of  Grace,  but  every  formalist 
thinks  he  hates  sin.  But  if  we  show  from  God's  word,  that  no 
one  has  a  true  hatred  to  sin  unless  he  has  beheld  the  glory  of 
God  as  it  is  in  the  face  of  Jesus — that  has  leaned  by  faith  upon  a 
crucified  Redeemer —then,  perhaps,  the  hypocrite's  conscience 
may  be  touched.  Then  if  we  would  be  clear  of  the  blood  of  all 
men,  we  must  lay  down  in  the  plainest  manner  and  in  the  bright- 
est light,  the  evidences  and  characteristics  of  the  Christian,  that 
the  hypocrite  may  be  convinced  that  he  is  destitute  of  them. 

2d.  We  must  know  nothing  in  or  out  of  the  pulpit,  ^^ Save  Jesus 
Christ  and  him  crucijied.''''  Christ  crucified  must  be  Alpha  and 
Omega,  the  beginning  and  the  end  of  every  sermon.  Our  design 
in  composing,  studying  and  preaching,  must  be  the  salvation  of 
sinners.     We  are  not  to  preach  ourselves  or  shew  our  great  abili- 

•    29 


220  THE  QUALIFICATIONS  AND  DUTIES 

ties  in  a  parade  of  learning.  We  are  not  to  stuff  our  sermons 
with  geography,  philosophy — with  new  speculations,  and  curi- 
ous criticisms  in  divinity.  We  must  hold  by  the  spirit  of  the 
gospel.  Repentance,  faith  and  regeneration,  placed  in  bold  re- 
lief, should  be  the  burden  of  every  sermon,  even  though  they 
should  become  an  old  song  to  the  carnal  ear.  In  private,  Christ 
should  still  be  our  theme;  the  vital  savor  of  his  name  should  hal- 
low every  conversation. 

3rd.  We  should  declare  our  message  in  the  most  solemn  and 
earnest  manner,  as  though  we  believed  what  we  said.  We  should 
be  deeply  affected  with  our  subject,  and  use  all  reasonable  means 
to  affect  the  minds  of  the  people — strike  their  judgment  and 
their  passions,  and  gain  access  to  the  heart  by  every  avenue. — 
What  judgment  must  the  unthinking  world  form  of  the  matter^ 
when  the  ministers  of  Jesus  speak  of  the  glory  of  Immanuel — 
the  dying  love  of  a  Redeemer — the  joys  of  Heaven,  with  cool- 
ness and  indifference  ?  Or,  when  they  preach  of  death  and  hell, 
judgment  and  eternity,  as  dispassionately  as  if  they  believed  no- 
thing about  them?  Surely  the  minister  of  Christ,  who  travails, 
like  Paul  in  birth  for  the  souls  of  his  people,  till  Christ  be  formed 
in  them  the  hope  of  glory ;  or,  like  Moses,  stands  between  the 
living  and  the  dead,  pleading  the  ancient  promises  made  to  the 
church,  must  weep  and  groan  with  heartfelt  sorrow  over  poor 
sinners,  and  warn  them  again  and  again  of  their  danger. 

4th.  We  must  be  instant  in  season  and  out  of  season,  declar- 
ing all  the  counsel  of  God,  if  we  would  be  pure  from  the  blood 
of  all  men.  Improve  every  opportunity  of  warning  sinners  to 
fly  to  Jesus.  Like  Paul  we  must  be  always  teaching  what  is  in 
Christ;  wherever  we  are,  wherever  we  meet  our  fellow  crea- 
tures, at  their  houses,  or  on  the  highway,  we  should  labor  to 
promote  their  salvation,  and  lead  them  to  Christ. 

5th.  The  preacher's  life  should  be  such  as  to  declare  loudly  to 
all  men,  and  convince  the  most  sceptical,  that  there  is  a  living 
reality  in  his  doctrine,  and  in  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ.  His 
conduct  and  conversation  should  preach  as  loudly  and  as  con- 
vincingly as  his  sermons. 

The  eyes  of  the  world  are  upon  all  professors  of  religion,  but 
particularly  upon  the  ministers  of  the  gospel.  There  is  no  vain 
word,  no  wrong  step,  no  trifling  gesture  of  all  their  lives,  but  is 
stained  with  the  blood  of  souls;  for,  thereby,  the  ungodly  con- 
tract a  disgust  for  religion ;  the  formalist  and  hypocrite  are  har- 
dened in  their  security,  and  very  readily  conclude  that  if  they 
act  like  the  minister,  all  is  well.  If  he  is  lukewarm  and  formal, 
they  will  be  so  too ;  if  he  follow  the  forms  and  fashions  of  the 
world,  so  will  they;  if  he  indulge  in  vain  company  and  light 
conversation,  they  will  do  likewise.  In  vain  might  we  preach 
with  all  the  ability  of  Paul  and  the  eloquence  of  Apollos,  if  we 


OF  A  MINISTER  OF  THE  €OSPEL.  221 

did  not  enforce  the  precepts  of  the  gospel  by  the  holy  example 
of  our  lives.  Indeed,  so  exemplary  should  the  minister  of  the 
gospel  be  in  all  his  conduct,  that  he  would  be  above  the  suspi- 
cions of  the  wicked,  or  the  imitation  of  the  hypocrite.  The^ 
same  should  be  said  of  him  as  was  said  concerning  an  officer  in 
the  late  war:  "He  has  so  much  of  the  life  and  power  of  religion 
in  all  his  conduct,  in  every  place  and  in  every  company,  that  it  is 
impossible  for  the  most  ingenious  hypocrite  to  imitate  him." 


SERMON    XXI  I. 


THE  CHRISTIAN'S  JOURNEY  TO  THE  HEAVENl-Y  CANAAN. 


TVe  are  journeying  unto  the  place  of  which  the  Lord  said  I  will 
give  it  you. — Numbers,  x.  29. 


These  are  the  words  of  Moses,  the  man  of  God,  to  Hobab, 
his  father-in-law — who  is  probably  the  same  elsewhere  called 
Jethro. 

Moses  was  leading  the  chosen  tribes  to  Canaan,  the  happy 
land,  which,  ages  before,  had  been  promised  by  the  Lord  to  A- 
braham,  Isaac  and  Jacob,  for  their  posterity;  and,  being  deeply 
impressed  with  a  sense  of  the  glorious  privileges  and  advantages 
which  the  people  of  God  should  enjoy  in  that  country,  is  induced 
by  a  sincere  desire  for  the  welfare  of  his  father-in-law  and  family 
to  entreat  them  to  go  with  him  to  the  good  land  and  share  its 
peculiar  blessings. 

The  journeying  of  the  children  of  Israel  to  the  land  of  Canaan, 
forms  a  beautiful  representation  of  the  church  of  Christ  travel- 
ing to  the  celestial  kingdom  of  glory.  And  as  the  followers  of 
Jesus  are  bound  for  the  land  of  promise,  and  sometimes,  like 
Moses  on  Pisgah's  top,  obtain  a  distant  view  of  their  heavenly 
inheritance,  and  enjoy  sweet  foretastes  of  eternal  blessedness,  it 
is  not  wonderful  that  they  should  with  painful  anxiety  entreat 
their  unconverted  relations  and  friends  to  go  with  them  to  that 
happy  country.  They  behold  in  Jesus  such  beauty  and  all-suf- 
ficiency, and  have  such  sublime  views  of  the  indescribable  bles- 
sedness of  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  that,  moved  with  pity  and 
compassion  towards  those  lying  spiritually  dead  in  the  plains  of 
Sodom,  they  court  them  in  the  language  of  Moses  to  Hobab: 
'•''We  are  journeying  unto  the  place  of  which  the  Lord  has  said,  I 
tvill  give  it  you,  therefore  come  with  us,  and  we  will  do  you  good, 
for  the  Lord  hath  spoken  pood  concerning  Israel,'''' 


THE  christian's   JOURNEY,  &,C.  223 

In  the  discussion  of  this  subject,  we  shall — 

I.  Describe  the  goodly  land  unto  which  we  are  journeying. 

II.  Speak  ot"  the  way  leading  thereto. 

III.  Improve  the  subject. 

I.  We  are  to  describe  the  goodly  land  unto  which  we  are 
journeying. 

Here  we  undertake  a  task  far  above  the  united  wisdom  and 
eloquence  of  men  and  angels.  Were  Gabriel  to  leave  his  shin- 
ing seat  in  Paradise,  and  stand  in  the  midst  of  this  assembly,  he 
could  not  fully  describe  the  glory  and  blessedness  of  this  country. 
Had  I  a  quill,  plucked  from  the  wing  of  a  cherub,  and  dipped  in 
a  ray  of  glory  emanating  from  the  divine  throne,  and  were  I  to 
write  for  millions  of  ages,  I  should  fall  infinitely  short  of  having 
portrayed  its  transcendent  glory. 

It  is  termed,  "T/te  belter  country^'' — The  land  of  promise''' — ".4 
rest  that  remains  for  the  people  of  GoiV — "^  kingdom  prepared 
from  the  foundation  of  the  workP — "^;i  inheritance  that  is  incor- 
ruptible, undefiled,  and  that  fadeth  not  awaxf — "TAe  Paradise  of 
God'"' — "77ie  city  of  God''' — "TAe  holy  Jerusalem,  having  the  glo- 
ry of  God;  and  her  light  was  like  unto  a  stone  most  precious,  even 
like  a  jasper  stone,  clear  as  crystal;  and  the  building  of  the  wall 
of  it  was  jasper;  and  the  city  was  pure  gold,  like  unto  clear  glass ; 
and  the  foundations  of  the  walls  of  the  city  were  garnished  with  all 
ynanner  of  precious  stones;  and  the  twelve  gates  wei^e  twelve  pearls ; 
and  the  street  of  the  city  was  pure  gold,  as  it  were  transparent 
glass;  and  the  city  had  no  need  of  the  sun,  neither  of  the  moon  to 
shine  in  it;  for  the  glory  of  God  did  lighten  it,  and  the  Lamb  is 
the  light  thereof^  Its  blessedness  is  called  "aw  exceeding  and 
eternal  weight  of  glory.''"'  Its  joys,  such  as  '•'•Eye  hath  not  seen,  nor 
ear  heard,  neither  have  entered  into  the  heart  of  man.''''  How 
great,  indeed,  must  that  happiness  be  which  is  even  beyond  the 
conception  of  the  heart!  Man's  lively  fancy  could  imagine  the 
sun  to  be  ten  thousand  times  more  large  and  glorious — our  earth 
to  be  a  paradise,  the  whole  atmosphere  to  be  transparent  crys- 
tal, the  mountains  to  be  solid  gold,  the  seas  and  rivers  to  be  wine, 
and  milk  and  honey,  and  the  rocks  and  sand  to  be  the  most  bril- 
liant diamonds — yet  all  these  things  are  but  dross  and  dung  when 
compared  with  the  glories  of  heaven. 

The  goodly  land  is  a  very  extensive  country — sufficiently 
large  for  all  its  blessed  inhabitants.  There  reside  all  the  angels 
and  archangels,  seraphim,  and  cherubim,  and  the  spirits  of  just 
men  made  perfect;  and  there  shall  dwell  the  general  assembly  of 
the  church  of  the  first  born,  whose  names  are  written  in  heaven 
and  all  the  innumerable  millions  of  the  redeemed,  out  of  every 
nation,  and  kindred  and  tongue,  and  people,  upon  the  earth. 
Small,  indeed,  are  the  greatest  possessions  in  this  world:  The 
va!5t  conquests  of  Alexander;  the  exten3ive  dominions  of  C»sar; 


THK    CHRISTIAN'S    JOURNEY 

sink  into  insignificance,  when  contrasted  with  the  inheritance 
of  the  poorest  inhabitant  of  this  heavenly  country,  where  every 
one  is  possessed  of  an  infinite  portion,  even  of  God,  with  all  his 
unbounded  essence,  attributes  and  glorious  perfections. 

It  is  a  country  of  pure  and  unspotted  holiness.  Its  air  permits 
nothing  sinful  to  enter  there.  ^^And  there  shall  in  nowise  enter 
into  it  any  thing  that  defiltth^  neither  whatsoever  worketh  ahomina- 
tion^or  maketh  a  lie;  but  they  which  are  written  in  the  Lamb's  book 
of  life:' 

In  this  dreary  wilderness,  the  best  societies  even,  where  the 
greatest  power  and  purity  of  religion  is  enjoyed,  are  intermixed 
with  bad  neighbors,  painted  hypocrites  and  self-deceivers.  Per- 
haps a  communion  table  is  never  spread  but  a  Judas  sits  down 
with  the  disciples  of  Jesus.  But  in  the  heavenly  country,  among 
the  countless  millions  which  inhabit  it,  there  is  not  one  unre- 
generated  sinner. 

"  Sin  enters  not  this  holy  place — 
No  tempter  in  this  paradise : 

The  dwellers  there  are  pure. 
Abandoned  men,  that  live  in  sin, 
Nor  hypocrites  can  enter  in : 

These  God  cannot  endure." 

But,  as  all  sin  is  banished  from  this  country,  none  of  its  deadly 
consequences  are  known;  no  tempting  Devil  can  be  found  there; 
nor  deceitful  backsliding  hearts;  nor  weeping  eyes,  nor  pains 
because  of  the  frowns  of  God;  neither  complaints  of  the  hidings 
of  the  benign  countenance  of  the  Redeemer.  No.  The  disci- 
ples are  now  in  their  Father's  house.  They  are  with  Christ 
^here  he  is,  and  have  an  uninterrupted  view  of  his  glory. 

"This,  this,  does  heaven  enough  afford : 
They  are  forever  with  the  Lord ; 
They  want  no  more — for  all  is  given : 
Their  father's  presence  makes  up  heaven." 

It  is  a  country  of  complete  safety.  Adam  was  not  secure  in 
the;|earthly  paradise.  The  old  serpent  entered  there,  and  robbed 
him  and  all  his  unborn  race  of  innocence.  The  believer  is  not 
safe  even  in  his  most  blessed  seasons.  When  feasting  upon  the 
hidden  manna  of  redeeming  love ;  when  his  soul  is  enraptured 
with  the  glory  of  God  as  it  shines  in  the  face  of  Jesus,  even  then 
the  old  serpent  stands,  unseen,  at  his  right  hand,  ready  to  mix 
gall  and  bitterness  with  his  cup  of  consolation  and  rob  him  of  his 
sweetest  joys.  Spiritual  pride  is  secretly  introduced  into  his 
heart;  he  grieves  the  Lord  and  provokes  the  withdrawal  of  the 


TO  THE  HEaTINLY  CANAAN.  225 

Holy  Spirit.  Thus  he  is  left  to  grovel  in  darkness,  driven  like 
an  orphan  from  his  father's  face. 

But  in  this  goodly  land,  the  followers  of  Jesus  enter  their  Fa- 
ther's house,  and  take  full  possession  of  the  kingdom  prepared 
for  them  before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  of  that  inheritance 
which  is  incorruptible,  undefiled,  and  that  fadeth  not  away. 
Their  fallen  natures ;  their  hard  hearts  and  sinful  propensities  are 
left  behind  them  and  are  seen  no  more  forever.  They  are  sur- 
rounded by  the  Godhead — encircled  by  the  divine  perfections, 
and  shut  up  in  the  strong  hold  of  eternal  love.  Therefore  they 
weep,  sigh,  and  sin  no  more.  The  Devil  can  neither  mar  their 
peace — nor  disturb  their  joys — nor  interrupt  their  blessedness 
throughout  all  eternity.  There  they  are  clothed  in  white — they 
wear  crowns  of  gold  upon  their  heads — and  palms  of  victory  in 
their  hands.  They  sing  the  new  song  which  no  man  can  learn 
but  the  hundred  and  forty-four  thousand  redeemed  from  the  earthy 
shouting  Hallelujah  to  God  and  the  Lamb,  crying  with  loud 
voices,  Worthy  is  the  Lamh  that  was  slain,  who  hath  redeemed  us  to 
God  by  his  blood  out  of  all  nations,  and  kindreds,  and  tongues, 
and  people  upon  earth,  and  hath  made  us  kings  and  priests  unto 
God.  There  they  hunger  and  thirst  no  more — they  are  forever 
freed  from  pain  and  sickness  and  death — all  tears  are  wiped  from 
their  eyes.  They  have  no  night,  for  the  glory  of  the  Lord  en- 
lightens them,  and  the  Lamb,  Christ  Jesus,  is  the  light  of  the 
place.  They  enjoy  an  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory. 
They  taste  joys  such  as  "£|ye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  neither 
have  entered  into  the  heart  of  man.''"' 

Now,  sinners,  will  you  not  go  with  us  to  this  happy  country? 
When  you  remove  in  this  world  you  would  seek  a  country  a- 
bounding  in  wealth — well  watered — healthy — and  whose  society 
was  agreeable  and  respectable.  Well,  my  friends,  the  heaven- 
ly Canaan  abounds  in  wealth.  Its  poorest  citizen  is  a  crowned 
head,  and  possesses  a  kingdom  prepared  for  him  from  the  founda- 
tion of  the  world.  This  country  is  the  richest  and  most  pro- 
ductive of  all  Jehovah's  vast  dominions:  it  is  the  garden  of  the 
universe — the  paradise  of  God. 

"There  generous  fruits,  that  never  fail,  on  trees  immortal  grow, 
There  rocks,  and  hills,  and  brooks,  and  vales,  with  milk  and  honey  flow." 

Every  part  abounds  with  the  grapes  of  Eschol,  the  apples  of 
Paradise,  with  the  hidden  manna,  the  bread  of  life;  and  what 
surpasses  all,  there  stands  the  tree  of  life,  which  bears  twelve 
manner  of  fruits,  and  yields  her  fruits  every  month,  whose  leaves 
are  for  the  healing  of  the  nations.  Oh,  blessed  country !  Oh,  happy 
seasons?  There  reigns  the  eternal  bloom  of  spring,  the  rich, 
unchanging  luxuriance  of  summer.     There    blustering  winds, 


226  THE     christian's    JOURNET 

nor  biting  frosts,  destructive  rains,  nor  withering  droughts,  are 
ever  known. 

This  goodly  land  is  also  well  watered.  There  are  the  wells  of 
salvation;  the  never  failing  springs  of  divine  consolation;  with 
rivers  of  pleasure  flowing  eternally  at  God's  right  hand.  A  pure 
river  of  water  of  life,  clear  as  crystal,  proceeding  out  of  the  throne 
of  God  and  the  Lanib.^'' 

It  is  a  healths/  country;  its  air  is  pure  and  salubrious. 

"No  chilling  winds,  nor  poisonous  breath 

Can  reach  this  healthful  shore ; 
Sickness  and  sorrow,  pain  and  death, 

Are  felt  and  feared  no  more." 

^^ The  inhabitants  shall  not  say,  lam  sick.'''  They  shall  not  be 
visited  by  death,  nor  sorrow,  neither  distress  nor  afflictions;  their 
faces  shall  not  wrinkle,  neither  shall  they  experience  the  weak- 
nesses and  infirmities  of  old  age.  But,  throughout  all  eternity, 
they  shall  bloom  with  immortal  youth  and  vigor. 

The  society  of  the  goodly  land  is  the  most  respectable  and  a- 
greeable  in  all  the  universe.  In  every  community  upon  earth, 
there  are  some  wicked,  designing  men,  to  interrupt  its  harmony, 
and  introduce  disturbance.  In  every  church  are  hypocrites  and 
self-deceivers;  but  in  the  heavenly  country  are  none,  save  those 
whose  robes  have  been  washed  and  made  white  in  the  blood  of 
the  Lamb. 

Would  you  go  to  this  blessed  country,  you  would  there  asso- 
ciate with  angels  and  archangels;  you  should  enjoy  the  blessed 
society  of  all  the  ransomed  millions  of  the  Lord.  You  would 
there  see  Adam  and  Eve,  Enoch,  Methusalah  and  Noah,  and  all 
the  old  patriarchs  who  went  to  Paradise  before  the  flood;  there 
you  would  meet  and  converse  with  Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob, 
and  Moses,  and  Samuel  and  David,  with  all  the  holy  kings  and 
prophets,  and  other  righteous  men  who  lived  in  the  Mosaic  dis- 
pensation. There  }  ou  would  see  the  twelve  apostles  and  all 
those  millions  converted  by  them  and  their  successors  in  the 
primitive  ages  of  the  church.  The  martyrs  who  died  for  the 
word  of  God  and  the  testimony  of  Jesus  who  suffered  the  most 
excruciating  tortures,  you  shall  behold  near  the  throne,  freed 
from  all  their  troubles.  ^^They  hunger  ?io  more,neither  thirst  any 
more;  neither  shall  the  sun  light  on  them,  nor  any  heat.  For  the 
Lamb  which  is  in  the  midst  of  the  throne  shall  feed  them,  and  shall 
lead  them  unto  living  fountains  of  waters;  and  God  shall  wipe  away 
all  tears  from  their  eyes.''"'  In  a  word,  you  shall  see  every  happy 
soul  that  ever  has  or  shall  enter  the  pearly  gates  of  the  new  Je- 
rusalem through  the  blood  and  merits  of  the  Son  of  God. 


TO  THE  HEAVEN1.T  CANAAN.  227 

Another  peculiarity  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  goodly  land  is, 
that  they  are  knit  together  by  the  most  pure  and  disinterested 
love.  In  this  world,  Christ's  children  sometimes  fall  out  by  the 
way;  one  proves  a  temptation  to  another,  ungrounded  suspicions 
arise;  like  Paul  and  Barnabas,  they  differ  in  opinions,  dispute, 
and  part  to  meet  no  more  here.  But  in  the  heavenly  country 
all  disputes  and  suspicions  are  banished;  the  names  of  Presbyte- 
rian, Episcopalian,  Methodist  and  Baptist,  shall  be  known  no 
more.  Luther,  Calvin  and  Zuinglius  shall  agree.  Toplady  and 
Wesley  shall  quarrel  no  more;  but  shall  adore  the  matchless 
grace  and  the  splendid  glories  of  Jehovah ;  and  love  divine,  ema- 
nating from  God,  will  unite  all  together,  and  continually  draw 
them  nearer  and  nearer  to  Christ,  their  living  head. 

II.  Speak  of  the  way  leading  to  the  goodly  land. 

If  you  would  go  to  the  Celestial  Paradise,  you  must  start  at  the 
proper  place.  The  road  leading  to  the  heavenly  country  com- 
mences at  the  straight  gate  of  conversion.  Hence  says  Christ, 
^^ Enter  ye  in  at  the  straight  gate;  for  wide  is  the  gate^  and  broad 
is  the  way  that  leadeth  to  destruction;  and  many  there  be  which  go 
in  thereat.  Because  straight  is  the  gate,  and  narrow  is  the  way, 
which  leadeth  unto  life,  and  few  there  be  thatjitid  it.'''  None  of 
Adam's  posterity  can  take  a  step  upon  this  road  until  they  have 
passed  through  this  narrow  gate.  Isaiah,  speaking  of  the  high- 
way of  holiness,  says  that  the  murderer  shall  not  pass  over  it;  but 
that  the  wayfaring  men,  though  fools,  shall  not  err  therein. 

In  order  to  enter  this  strait  gate,  the  fathomless  depths  of 
the  sin  and  wickedness  of  your  hearts  must  be  laid  open  to  your 
view.  You  must  feel,  to  your  inmost  soul,  your  enmity  to  God 
that  your  whole  nature  is  sin ;  the  enmity  of  your  heart  must  be 
slain  by  the  law;  dead  to  all  hope  in  yourself,  you  must  be  strip- 
ped of  all  dependence  upon  your  prayers,  tears,  resolutions  or 
desires;  you  must  lie  at  the  footstool  of  Sovereign  Mercy,  throw- 
ing your  guilty,  perishing  soul  at  the  feet  of  Jesus,  crying,  ^'•Lord, 
save,  or  I  perish.'''^  There  you  must  wait,  and  seek,  and  strive, 
begging  with  unwearied  diligence  and  importunity  for  mercy, 
until  God,  who  first  commanded  light  to  shine  out  of  darkness, 
shines  into  your  heart  with  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  di- 
vine glory  in  the  face  of  Jesus — until  the  suitableness  and  suf- 
ficiency of  his  person  and  offices  are  revealed  unto  you  by  the 
Holy  Spirit — until  you  become  willing  to  part  with  all  things  for 
Christ,  the  pearl  of  great  price — receive  and  trust  him  for  wis- 
dom, righteousness,  sanctification  and  complete  redemption. 

A  faith's  view  of  the  beauty,  glory,  and  excellency  of  the  at- 
tributes of  God,  meeting  and  harmonizing  in  Christ,  displayed  in 
his  holy  life  and  suffering  death;  It  is  this,  I  say,  that  attracts  the 
heart,  bows  the  will,  allures  the  affections,  and  induces  the  be- 
lieving sinner  to  fly  into  the  outstretched  arms  of  the  Saviour, 

30 


228  THE  christian's  journey 

that  makes  the  soul  thirst  and  pant  after  holiness  and  likeness  to 
God,  after  brighter  discoveries  of  his  glory.  The  divine  light  not 
only  reveals  the  loveliness  of  Jesus  and  excellencies  of  Deity, 
but  also  discovers  the  accursed  nature  of  sin,  its  horrid  opposi- 
tion to  God — shoves  the  soul  its  own  vileness  and  un worthiness; 
and  while  he  feels  peace,  and  joy  that  is  unspeakable,  he  is  a- 
shamed  and  confounded  before  God ;  he  loathes  himself,  and  cries, 
with  Job, "/ /ioue  heard  of  thee  by  the  hearing  of  the  ear;  hut  novo 
mine  eye  seeth  thee;  wherefore^  I  abhor  myself  and  repent  in  dust 
and  ashes.'''' 

The  soul  who  has  witnessed  these  things  has  entered  the 
straight  gate,  and  has  just  begun  to  walk  in  the  way  to  the  hea- 
venly country;  and  now  he  feels  himself  weak  and  helpless,  a 
child  in  wisdom,  scarce  knowing  the  first  principles  of  religion; 
and  he  anxiously  inquires  for  knowledge  concerning  the  highway 
of  holiness. 

Would  you  find  the  way,  look  well  for  the  footsteps  of  Jesus. 
Christ  himself  is  the  way.  He  hath  sprinkled  the  path  with  his 
blood,  and  left  his  footsteps  plain  upon  every  part  of  it  to  direct 
his  followers  in  safety;  and  he  calls  again  and  again  to  them, 
^^  Learn  of  me;  for  I  am  meek  and  lowly  in  heart;  and  ye  shall  find 
rest  unto  your  soids.''^  And  again:  ^'•Whosoever  will  come  after  me, 
let  him  deny  himself  and  take  up  his  cross^  aud  follow  me.''''  Through- 
out the  road  he  has  placed  beacons,  lest  any  should  mistake  the 
way.  Enoch's  walking  with  God,  the  faith  of  Abraham,  the 
wrestling,  praying  spirit  of  Jacob,  the  meekness  of  Moses,  the 
patience  and  submission  of  Job,  the  uprightness,  repentance  and 
holy  breathings  of  David,  the  heavenly  temper  of  John,  the 
fortitude  of  Paul,  and  many  other  examples,  all  of  which  stand 
like  monuments,  and  point  the  inquiring  sinner  the  way  to  the 
kingdom  of  heaven. 

We  shall  mention  some  of  the  qualities  of  this  way. 
First,  It  is  a  narrow  way.  Such  Christ  declares  it  to  be : — 
^''Strait  is  the  gate  and  narrow  is  the  way  which  leadeth  unto  life,'''' 
The  road  is  hedged  in  by  the  law  and  the  gospel,  and  is  so  narrow 
that  no  one  can  take  along  with  him  any  of  his  beloved  sins. — 
The  fashionable  vices  and  sinful  pleasures  of  this  world,  must  be 
left  behind;  and  so  narrow  is  the  way,  to  the  happy  country — 
that  even  self-righteousness  is  excluded,  and  we  must  rely  upon 
Christ  alone  for  righteousness  and  acceptance  with  God. 

Secondly.  It  is  a  difficult  way.  The  apostle  John,  after  de- 
scribing the  ransomed  millions  who  had  travelled  in  this  narrow 
way  to  that  happy  country,  tells  us  that  they  came  through  great 
tribulations,  and  had  washed  their  robes  and  made  them  white  in 
the  blood  of  the  Lamb. 

The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  declares  to  his  followers  that  in  this 
world,  they  shall  have  tribulations.    Says  Peter,  ^^And  if  the 


TO  THE  HEAVENLY  CANAAN.  229 

righteous  scarcely  be  saved  where  shall  the  ungodly  and  the  sinner 
appear  i"'  Intimating  that  the  "righteous"  will  be  "saved"  with 
great  difficulty. 

No  sooner  has  the  sinner  escaped  the  jaws  of  the  lion  of  hell 
and  commenced  walking  in  the  "narrow  way,"  than  devils  and 
wicked  men  single  him  out  as  a  mark  for  their  malice  and  scorn. 
Earth  and  hell  combine  to  ensnare  him  and  lead  him  into  sin, 
that  he  may  wound  and  dishonor  the  cause  of  God.  And  if  the 
old  serpent  cannot  draw  him  back  to  perdition,  such  is  his  en- 
mity, that  he  will  endeavor  to  make  his  way  as  difficult  as  possi- 
ble. And,  therefore,  he  will  attack  him  through  the  whole  jour- 
ney with  unabated  diligence;  he  will  assume  many  forms,  and 
beset  him  on  every  side.  Sometimes,  as  an  "angel  of  light,"  he 
will  try  to  delude  and  misguide  him."  He  will  use  all  the  cun- 
ning of  the  serpent  to  deceive,  and  the  rage  and  fury  of  the  lion 
to  devour  him.  The  world  presents  to  him  a  thousand  bewitch- 
ing allurements  to  captivate  his  affections  and  lead  him  astray 
from  God.  On  every  hand  temptations  to  evil  stand  in  thick  ar- 
ray, ready  t9  ensnare  and  prey  upon  his  soul.  But  his  strongest 
and  most  dangerous  enemies  lie  deeply  entrenched  in  his  own 
heart — the  hellish  remains  of  indwelling  sin  and  inbred  corrup- 
tion. 

Against  all  these  numerous  and  powerful  enemies,  the  pilgrim 
bound  for  the  heavenly  Canaan  must  set  his  face  like  adamant; 
he  must  gird  on  the  whole  armour  of  God,  and  fight  his  way  to 
his  glorious  inheritance.  He  fights  the  hardest  upon  his  knees. 
By  faithful  watching  and  prayer,  strengthened  by  the  Lord,  he 
is  sure  to  triumph.  Sometimes  the  Philistines,  daily  receiving 
recruits  from  hell,  seem  to  prevail  against  him ;  his  spirits  sink — 
his  strength  fails,  and,  like  David,  he  is  ready,  through  unbelief, 
to  conclude  that  he  must  fall  by  the  hands  of  his  enemies.  When 
he  has  resisted  to  blood,  and  has  fought  till  he  can  do  no  more 
than  cry,  ^^Lord,  save,  or  I  perish,''^  Jesus  comes  to  his  relief, 
gives  new  life  to  his  soul,  puts  the  hosts  of  hell  to  flight,  and  en- 
ables him  to  sing  the  conqueror's  song,  and  rejoice  in  prospect 
of  final  victory. 

Thirdly.  It  is  a  pleasant  way.  Saith  Solomon,  speaking  of 
Wisdom,  "fler  ways  are  ways  of  pleasantness  and  all  her  paths 
are  peace.^''  And  Christ  says,  "iV/y  yoke  is  easy,  and  my  burden 
is  light.''''  The  road  leading  to  the  heavenly  country  is  often 
termed  a  thorny  way ;  but  there  is  not  a  thorn  in  it,  nor  a  briar 
upon  the  whole  of  it.  The  thorns  and  briars  grow  upon  the 
sides  of  it.  Snares,  and  pits,  and  quagmires,  lie  close  to  it, 
upon  the  right  hand  and  upon  the  left.  The  weary  traveller 
finds  these  thorns  and  briars,  difficulties  and  troubles,  only  when 
he  leaves  the  road.  The  Sun  of  Righteousnes  always  shines 
upon  the  narrow  path  and  illuminates  the  soul  of  the  believer 


230  THE  CHRISTIAW'S    JOURNEY 

who  treads  therein.  Often,  in  the  discharge  of  duty,  the  con- 
verted soul  is  lifted  to  the  heavens,  and  catches  sublime  views  of 
the  glory  of  God.  Sometimes  he  is  low  in  the  valley  of  humil- 
ity; like  Job,  loathing  himself  and  repenting  in  dust  and  ash- 
es, imagines  that  he  is  the  least  of  all  saints,  the  meanest,  vil- 
est creature,  that  redeeming  mercy  ever  plucked  from  the  jaws 
of  a  dreadful  hell.  At  another  time  he  may  be  found  panting 
for  the  presence  of  God,  like  the  hunted  hart  for  the  cooling 
water  brooks — thirsting  for  a  sense  of  his  love  shed  abroad  in 
his  heart,  like  a  weary  pilgrim  in  a  parched  land  where  there  is 
no  water;  and,  again,  like  a  weeping  Mary  sitting  at  the  feet 
of  Jesus  and  learning  the  spirit  and  temper  of  the  inhabitants 
of  the  goodly  land.  Sometimes  in  the  Lord's  banqueting  hous- 
es, feasting  upon  love;  or,  like  Jacob,  wrestling  with  God  in 
spiritual  prayer,  calling  the  great  Father  of  Truth  to  remem- 
ber and  perform  his  word  and  promise.  Not  unfrequently  be- 
tween the  porch  and  the  altar,  or  standing,  like  Moses,  between 
the  living  and  the  dead,  and  pleading  for  the  conversion  and  sal- 
vation of  Christless  sinners.  Like  Jeremiah,  weeping  and  cry- 
ing, "0/i  that  my  head  were  waters  and  mine  eyes  a  fountain 
of  tears,  that  I  might  weep  day  and  night  for  the  slain  of  the 
daughter  of  my  people.''''  Lying  at  the  feet  of  Jesus,  like  the 
Canaanitish  woman  pleading  for  the  conversion  of  a  son  or 
daughter,  a  brother  or  sister,  or  some  other  dear  relation  or 
friend,  resolving  to  take  no  denial,  but  rather  to  change  every 
repulse  and  discouraging  circumstance  into  fresh  arguments  to 
court  the  mercy  of  heaven. 

The  narrow  road  was  laid  out  by  order  of  the  court  of  hea- 
ven— planned  and  ordained  in  the  early  councils  of  eternity. — 
The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  came  into  this  wretched  world  to  open 
the  way  and  make  it  plain.  He  marked  it  with  his  blood  and 
left  his  footsteps  to  be  seen  through  every  part.  The  patri- 
archs of  old,  the  prophets,  apostles  and  martyrs,  all  travelled 
this  narrow  path,  and  all  the  ransomed  of  the  Lord  who  have 
gone  to  the  celestial  paradise,  have  attained  it  by  moving 
straight  forward  in  it;  and,  surely,  no  spiritually  discerning  eye 
can  mistake  the  way. 

The  soul  journeying  to  the  goodly  land,  though  he  meets 
many  obstacles  to  his  progress,  finds  the  road  pleasant  and 
agreeable.  He  enjoys  the  smiles  of  his  Heavenly  Father — 
tastes  the  riches  of  his  grace,  and  often  feels  his  love  shed 
abroad  in  his  heart.  He  is  consoled  in  all  his  troubles  by  a 
sense  of  the  protection  of  the  Almighty,  who  has  promised  to 
be  his  strong  tower  and  defence,  his  strength  in  weakness,  his 
helper  in  distress,  his  righteousness  and  his  everlasting  all. — 
Lest  any  should  stray,  the  Lord  Jesus  goes  before  his  faithful 


TO  THE  HEAVENLY  CANAAN.  231 

followers,  in  a  pillar  of  a  cloud  by  day  and  in  a  pillar  of  fire 
by  night.  He  feasts  their  souls  upon  the  rich  blessings  of  the 
everlasting  covenant,  and  takes  them  into  sweet  communion 
with  himself.  And  when  they  have  come  to  the  end  of  the 
way,  and  have  to  encounter  Death,  their  last  enemy,  they  need 
not  fear;  he  has  been  conquered;  Jesus  has  invaded  his  dread 
territories  and  defeated  him,  and,  as  a  trophy  of  victory,  hath 
led  him  in  chains,  and  robbed  him  of  all  his  terrors.  Now,  in- 
stead of  the  grim  monster  and  terrible  enemy,  he  appears  their 
friend — a  messenger  of  peace  to  convey  poor  exiles  home  to 
glory.  Stop  for  a  moment!  See  the  dying  Christian  parting 
with  time — bidding  adieu  to  this  world.  Heaven  opens,  and 
immortal  joy  beams  into  his  soul,  and  he  willingly  resigns  him- 
self into  the  keeping  of  his  Redeemer,  singing  a  song  like  this: 

"When  death  appears  fcefore  ray  sight 

In  all  his  dire  array, 
Unequal  to  the  dreadful  fight, 
My  courage  dies  away. 

But,  see  my  glorious  leader  nigh — 

My  Lord,  my  Savior  lives ; 
Before  him  death's  pale  terrors  fly, 

And  my  faint  heart  revives. 

He  left  his  dazzling  throne  above, 

He  met  the  tyrant's  dart, 
And,  oh!  amazing  power  of  love, 

Received  it  in  his  heart. 

No  more,  oh,  grim  destroyer,  boast 

Thy  universal  sway; 
To  heaven-born  souls  thy  sting  is  lost, 
,    Thy  night  is  turned  to  day. 

Loi-d  I  commit  my  soul  to  thee ; 

Accept  the  sacred  trust; 
Receive  this  noble  part  of  me, 

And  watch  my  sleeping  dust. 

Till  that  illustrious  morning  come, 

When  all  the  saints  shall  rise, 
And,  clothed  in  full  immortal  bloom, 

Attend  thee  to  the  skies." 

But,  oh!  the  joy  unspeakable,  the  floods  of  glory,  that  deluge 
the  soul  when  it  parts  from  the  body.  The  cage  is  opened,  and 
the  spirit  is  liberated  from  this  heavy  clog  of  clay.  The  angel 
bands  draw  near;  bright  shining  seraphs  surround  it  on  every 


232  THE  christian's  journey 

side,  and,  perhaps,  the  departed  souls  of  their  Christian  friends, 
who  were  their  companions,  sat  under  the  same  sermons,  under- 
went the  same  difficulties,  and  enjoyed  the  same  pleasures,  join 
to  conduct  them  to  their  Father's  house. 

But  who  can  describe  the  happiness  of  the  soul  when  convey- 
ed by  the  celestial  host?  He  rises  from  the  earth — soars  aloft 
in  the  heavens,  leaves  sun,  moon  and  stars  far  behind,  and  beholds 
the  resplendent  glories  of  the  new  Jerusalem,  whose  pearly  gates 
fly  open  wide  to.  receive  him.  He  enters  the  city  of  God,  wel- 
comed by  all  the  redeemed  of  the  Lord,  and  embraced  in  the 
arms  of  Jesus.  With  propriety,  the  lines  of  the  seraphic  poet 
may  be  accommodated  to  this  subject: 

And  now  by  swift  degrees, 

They  sail  aloft  through  azure  seas ; 

Now  tread  the  milky  way. 

Farewell  ye  planets  in  your  spheres ; 

And  as  the  stars  are  lost  a  brighter  sky  appears. 

In  haste  for  Paradise, 

They  sketch  the  pinions  of  a  bolder  thought. 

Scarce  had  they  willed  but  they  were  past 

Deserts  of  trackless  light,  and  all  the  Etherial  waste, 

And  to  the  sacred  borders  brought. 

With  pleasing  reverence  they  behold 

The  pearly  portals — spires  of  gold. 

Noon  stands  eternal  there ;  and  there  their  sight 

Drink  in  the  rays  of  primogenial  light. 

They  breathe  immortal  air; 

Joy  beats  high  in  every  vein; 

Pleasure  through  all  their  bosoms  reign. 

The  laws  forbid  the  stranger  pain, 

And  banish  every  care. 

They  view  the  bubbling  streams  of  love 

Beneath  the  throae  arise ; 

The  streams  in  crystal  channels  move, 

Around  the  golden  streets  they  rove, 

And  bless  the  mansions  of  the  upper  skies. 

What  must  be  the  soul's  joyous  surprise  when  he  finds  himself 
in  heaven? 

And  is  this  heaven — and  am  I  here  ? 

How  short  the  road — how  swift  the  flight! 
I  am  all  life — all  eye — all  ear: 

Jesus  is  here  my  soul's  delight. 

Is  this  the  heavenly  friend  that  hung 

In  blood  and  anguish  on  the  tree  ? 
Whom  Paul  proclaimed — whom  David  sung — 

Who  died  for  them — who  died  for  me? 


TO  THE  HEaNENLT  CANAAN.  233 

How  fair  thou  offspring  of  my  God ! 

Thou  first-born  image  of  his  face, 
Thy  death  procured  this  blessed  abode ; 

Thy  vital  beams  adorn  the  place. 

Is  it  possible  I  am  here  ?  Are  my  doubts,  and  fears,  and  pain- 
ful conflicts  all  over?  Shall  I  behold  this  lovely  precious  J esus, 
through  all  eternity,  face  to  face,  without  a  dimming  veil  be- 
tween? Do  I  hear  the  shouts  of  the  redeemed?  Is  it  the  songs 
of  adoring  angels — the  loud  hallelujahs  of  the  armies  of  heaven 
that  strike  my  ears?  Oh,  what  glory  dazzles  my  eyes  and  en- 
raptures my  heart!  What  floods  of  blessedness  overwhelm  my 
soul!  I  am  lost  in  joy  and  wonder — in  adoration,  love  and 
praise. 

III.  Improve  the  subject. 

We  have  attempted  a  description  of  this  country,  and  have 
spoken  of  the  way  leading  thereto.  We  have  seen  that  it  is  a 
holy  and  pure  land  abounding  in  every  thing  that  is  desirable; 
that  the  road  though  narrow  and  difficult,  is  yet  pleasant  and 
agreeable.  And  now,  sinner,  will  you  not  go  with  us  to  this 
country.  "T^e  are  journeying  unto  the  place  of  which  the  Lord 
has  said,  I  will  give  it  you.'^''  ''''Come  and  go  with  us,  we  will  do 
you  good,  for  the  Lord  hath  spoken  good  concerning  Israel.''''  The 
terms  upon  which  you  shall  possess  an  inheritance  in  this  coun- 
try are  easy  and  very  reasonable.  Repent  of  your  sins,  believe 
on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  walk  in  all  his  statutes  blameless, 
and  you  shall  obtain  the  kingdom.  Come  unto  the  Lord  just  as 
you  are — poor  and  vile,  needy  and  dependent,  hungering  and 
thirsting  after  righteousness,  and  you  '^shall  he  filled,''''  you  shall 
obtain  pardon  of  sin,  and  peace  and  reconciliation  to  God. 

Come  with  us,  and  we  will  do  you  good.  Yes,  we  will  do  all 
that  feeble  ministers  and  people  can  do  for  you.  We  will  in- 
struct you  in  the  paths  of  holiness;  we  will  tell  you  what  we  have 
felt,  and  seen,  and  know;  that  Jesus  is  precious;  that  he  is  a  glori- 
ous, almighty,  all  sufficient,  and  willing  Saviour;  we  will  bear  your 
case  to  a  throne  of  grace ;  we  will  plead  for  your  conversion  and 
complete  salvation  in  the  name  of  Jesus;  we  will  entreat  God  on 
your  behalf;  we  will  take  you  by  the  hand  and  try  to  lead  you 
in  the  footsteps  of  Jesus,  and  show  you  the  dangers  and  snares 
that  lie  thick  upon  each  side  of  the  way;  we  will  hold  up  to  your 
view  the  offers  "of  the  gospel,  and  show  you  the  willingness  of 
Christ  to  receive  poor,  repenting,  returning  prodigals,  and  all  the 
rich  and  unbounded  fullness  of  the  Eternal  Covenant  of  Peace. 
"TAe  Lord  has  spoken  good,  concerning  IsraeV  These  words, 
give  to  poor  lost  sinners  the  greatest  encouragement  to  enlist  un- 
der Christ's  royal  banner,  and  journey  in  haste  to  the  glorious 
land.  They  shall  become  interested  in  all  the  privileges  of  the 
children  of  God — shall  partake  of  all  their  heavenly  joys  and  com- 


f  S4  christian's  journet,  &c. 

forts;  shall  share  in  their  eternal  and  unspeakable  felicity  which 
awaits  them  in  the  celestial  paradise  of  God.  "  The  Lord  has 
spoken  good  concerning  IsraeW''  What  ^^good''^  hath  he  spoken? 
He  declared  to  Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob,  by  his  word  and  cove- 
nant, by  his  solemn  oath,  that  their  offspring  should  possess  the 
land  of  Canaan.  In  like  manner  he  hath  pledged  to  Jesus  Christ 
that  all  his  spiritual  seed — all  the  purchase  of  his  blood  shall  inhe- 
rit the  heavenly  Canaan  with  all  its  ineffable  glories  and  blessed- 
ness. Jesus  prayed  for  it — he  asked  it  upon  the  principles  of 
law  and  justice;  upon  the  conditions  of  his  mediation  and  atone- 
ment, viz.  that  all  those  which  the  Father  had  given  him  should 
be  with  him  and  where  he  is,  and  behold  his  glory ;  and,  therefore 
he  tells  them,  "/?i  my  father'' s  howie  are  many  mansions;  if  it 
were  not  so ^  I  would  have  told  you.  I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for 
you.  And  if  I  go  and  prepare  a  place  for  you^  I  will  come  again, 
and  receive  you  unto  myself;  that  where  lam  there  ye  maybealso,''^ 


.VIL. 


th  thati), 


thf^ 


SERMON  XXIII. 


THE  WORK  OF  THE  SPIRIT  DISTIIVGUISHED  FROITI  THAT 
OF  THE  DESVIIi. 


"For  false  Christs  and  false  prophets  shall  rise,  and  shall  shew 
sig7is  and  loonders  to  seduce,  if  it  were  possible,  even  the  elect,'''' 
Mark,  xiii.  22. 


In  this  chapter,  our  Lord  speaks  particularly  of  the  destruc- 
tion of  Jerusalem,  which  was  just  at  hand,  when  God's  vindic- 
tive wrath  should  be  poured  out  upon  the  hardened  and  impeni- 
tent Jews,  because  of  their  manifold  wickedness  and  rebellion, 
in  rejecting  their  day  of  merciful  visitation;  having  crucified  the 
Son  of  God,  saying — "jEfw  Mood  he  on  us  and  on  our  children.'^'' 

We  think  with  the  wisest  and  most  learned  of  our  commenta- 
tors, that  our  Lord's  predictions  respecting  these  dreadfiil 
events  have  a  two-fold  application.  First,  to  the  overthrow  of 
Jerusalem,  and  second,  to  the  tremendous  occurrences  which 
shall  take  place  prior  to  the  end  of  the  world.  The  signs  of  the 
times,  the  dreadful  forebodings,  which  preceded  the  destruction 
of  Jerusalem,  and  those  which  shall  precede  the  end  of  the  world, 
are  much  of  the  same  character.  In  the  text,  we  have  one  of 
those  omens  of  ill,  which  preceded  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem, 
and  which  will  certainly  occur  before  the  end  of  time.  ^^False 
Christs,  and  false  prophets,  shall  rise  and  shew  signs  and  wonders, 
to  seduce,  if  it  were  possible,  even  the  elect,'''' 

By  "false  Christs,"  were  meant  Barcochab  and  other  impos- 
tors, who  arose  among  the  Jews,  and  feigned  themselves  Christ, 
the  promised  Messiah.  And  from  the  text  it  is  evident,  that 
such  deceivers  are  to  be  expected  in  the  last  ages.  Many  have 
appeared  already,  and  others  will  appear;  and  without  doubt, 
the  false  doctrines,  the  fatal  delusions,  and  destructive  schisms, 
which  prevail  in  the  present  day;  the  great  light  so  much  boast- 
ed of,  and  the  pretensions  that  the  millennium  has,  even  now, 
commenced,  are  in  part  a  fulfilment  of  this  awful  prediction. 

31 


236  THf  "K    OF    THE    SPIRIT    DISTINGUISHED 

in  their  er- 

It  is  foreign  from  our  present  purpose,  to  enter  the  lists  for 
controversy,  or  to  investigate  any  particular  system  of  errors 
now  exkVag.  We  shall,  therefore,  in  a  practical  and  experi- 
rij  by  h'^nanner,  consider  some  of  the  subtle  stratagems  and  de- 
vi^ff  of  that  Old  Serpent,  the  Devil,  by  which  he  imitates  the 
character  of  the  true  Christ,  seduces  immortal  souls,  and  cheats 
them  out  of  salvation. 

The  grand  design  of  the  Old  Serpent,  in  tempting  to  sin — his 
great  object  in  raising  up  impostors  and  deceivers — introducing 
false  religion  and  false  worship — in  deluging  the  earth  with  here- 
sies and  delusions — is  the  everlasting  perdition  of  the  souls  of 
men  and  women ;  and  the  method  of  all  others,  most  efficient  in 
accomplishing  this  infernal  purpose,  is  raising  up  false  Christs, 
and  counterfeiting  or  producing  something,  that  bears  a  plausi- 
ble resemblance  to  the  glorious  works  and  operations  of  the 
Holy  Spirit. 

This  will  appear  manifest,  if  we  take  a  short  and  summary 
view  of  the  history  of  the  Church  from  the  commencement  of 
time. 

When  God  instituted  bloody  sacrifices  in  the  early  dispensa- 
tions, to  lead  his  prophets,  to  see  the  complete  satisfaction  which 
Christ  should  make  to  the  law  and  justice  of  God,  by  the  sacri- 
fice of  himself,  the  Devil  speedily  introduced  the  same  custom 
throughout  the  Pagan  world.  When  the  true  God  established 
an  order  of  Priesthood  for  the  pure  administration  of  his  wor- 
ship, and  to  point  typically  to  Jesus  Christ,  the  Great  High 
Priest,  who  was  to  offer  the  all-atoning  sacrifice  to  appease  the 
vengeance  of  Jehovah,  immediately  the  Devil  appoints  priests 
for  every  idol  temple  and  false  God.  When  the  true  God  calls 
and  ordains  prophets  to  reveal  his  will  to  man,  and  foretell  future 
events,  soon  the  Devil  raises  up  "false  prophets"  among  them 
in  abundance. 

When  the  true  God,  under  the  Mosaic  dispensation,  esta- 
blishes an  oracle  to  give  answer  to  important  inquiries,  which 
concerned  the  welfare  of  his  church  and  people,  the  Jews,  the 
Devil  imitates  this  by  the  oracles  at  Delphos,  Dodona  and  other 
places. 

No  sooner  does  God,  by  his  servant  Moses,  work  miracles  in 
Egypt  before  Pharoah,  than  the  Devil,  to  counteract  his  pur- 
poses, by  his  agents  attempts  the  performance  of  the  same  mira- 
cles. 

Inspect  the  history  of  the  Christian  Church,  and  you  will  find 
that  every  corruption,  every  heresy  and  delusion,  and  every 
fatal  measure,  by  which  the  Old  Serpent  has  adulterated  pure 
religion,  has  been  introduced  under  the  pretext  of  piety  and  holi- 
ness. The  superstitious  austerity  of  the  monks  and  nuns  was 
introduced  as  an  entire  denial  of  the  vanities  and  pleasures  of 
the  world,  and  complete  devotedness  to  God.    Persecution  was 


FROM    THAT    OF    THE   DEVIL.  237 

admitted  under  the  flattering  appearance  of  zeal  for  God  and 
the  purity  of  the  gospel ;  heresies  and  false  doctrines^  under  the 
pretext  of  aew  light,  and  for  insight  into  the  truths  of  th  that  le; 
dull  formality,  under  a  cloak  of  zeal  for  sound  doctrine,  ar.  th'^e- 
dience  to  the  precepts  of  the  gospel;  and  wild  enthusiasm  under 
the  fair  shew  of  the  life  and  power  of  religion. 

It  is  evident  from  the  word  of  God,  that  the  Devil  often  coun- 
terfeits the  internal  operations  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ;  "•'•For 
Satan  himself  is  transformed  into  an  angel  of  light.'''  And  from 
scripture  it  may  be  reasonably  inferred,  that  there  are  false 
hopes,  false  joys,  and  comforts — false  zeal  and  delight  in  the  or- 
dinances of  God,  which  prove  the  great  subtlety  and  ingenuity 
of  the  Devil  in  imitating  Christ  and  counterfeiting  his  works. 

The  phrase  ''''false  Christs''^  suggests  two  ideas  worthy  of  at- 
tention.— First  that  they  have  a  counterfeit  resemblance  to  the 
true  Christ,  that  their  deceptions  and  delusions  are  very  plausi- 
ble, subtle,  and  ingenious, — and  so  strongly  resemble  the  reality 
of  religion — its  life  and  power — that  it  is  often  difficult  to  distin- 
guish the  true  from  the  false.  *' False  Christs  and  false  prophets  y 
shall  rise  and  shew  signs  and  wonders.''''  Second,  that  there  are 
persons  whom  false  Christs  cannot  finally  deceive,  whom  the 
Devil  cannot  cheat  out  of  salvation,  viz.  the  elect;  and  therefore 
I  conclude,  they  cannot  fall  from  grace.  "To  seduce^  if  it 
were  possible^  even  the  elecV  implies  in  the  strongest  terms,  its 
impossibility. 

To  declare  that  there  is  in  the  world  a  people  called  the  elect, 
that  their  salvation  is  inevitably  certain,  that  no  "false  Christs" 
can  deceive  them,  is  so  offensive  to  some,  that  it  is  sufficient  to 
destroy  the  character  and  usefulness  of  the  most  faithful  minis- 
ters of  Jesus  Christ.  There  are  many  calling  themselves  the 
humble  followers  of  Jesus  Christ,  who  if  they  hear  the  words 
elect,  election,  or  predestination  mentioned  in  the  pulpit,  permit 
resentment  to  rise,  and  their  hearts  to  boil  with  madness,  and 
reject  the  sermon  en  masse. 

And  if  they  speak  of  it,  it  is  with  rancor  and  bitterness;  not  in 
the  spirit  of  Christ,  but  in  their  own  spirit — although  these  terms 
are  scriptural — used  by  the  Lord  Jesus  and  the  apostle  Paul. — 
Says  Christ,  '•'•Shall  not  God  avenge  his  own  elect,  which  cry  day 
and  night  unto  him  ?"  ^'Butfor  the  elecfs  sake,  whom  he  hath  cho- 
sen, he  hath  shortened  the  days.''''  '•'•Then  shall  he  send  his  angels, 
and  shall  gather  together  his  elect  from  the  four  winds,  from  the 
uttermost  part  of  heaven.'"' 

Would  you  know  who  are  the  elect,  Jesus  Christ  and  the  apos- 
tle Paul  can  best  answer.  The  former  says  they  are  a  people 
whom  his  Father  ^'•giveth''''  him.  ^''All  that  the  Father  giveth  me, 
shall  come  to  me.''''  Addressing  the  Father,  he  says,  ^^Glorify  thy 
Son,  that  thy  Son  also  may  glorify  thee;  as  thou  hast  given  him 
power  over  alljiesh,  that  he  sliould  give  eternal  life  to  as  mang  as 
thou  hast  given  him*     I  have  manifested^  thy  name  unto  the    m 


238  THE    WORK    OF    THE    SPIRIT    DISTINGUISHED 

which  thou  gavest  me  out  of  the  world;  thine  they  were,  and  thou 
gavest  them  me,  and  they  have  kept  thy  word.  Father,  I  will 
thi  by  )y  also,  whom  thou  hast  given  me,  be  with  me  where  I  am.'''' 
S&of^'-'^JPaul,  ''^According  as  he  hath  chosen  us  in  him  before  the 
foundation  of  the  world,  that  we  should  be  holy  and  without  blame, 
before  hi?n  in  love;  having  predestinated  us  unto  the  adoption  of 
children  by  Jesus  Christ  to  himself,  according  to  the  good  pleasure 
of  his  loill.  Moreover  whom  he  did  predestinate  them  he  also 
called,  and  whom  he  called  them  he  also  justified;  and  whom  he 
justified  them  he  also  glorified.''^ 

These  things  I  read  in  my  Bible,  and  I  have  no  authority  to 
take  them  out.  Some  people  tell  us,  this  doctrine  is  from  hell ;  if 
so,  the  Bible  is  from  hell,  for  it  is  full  of  it. 

In  discussing  this  subject  further,  we  shall  attempt — 

T.  To  shew  with  what  ingenuity  the  Devil  imitates  the  true 
Christ,  and  the  operations  of  his  Spirit  in  regeneration  and 
sanctification. 

II.  We  shall  distinguish  the  operations  of  the  Spirit  of  God, 
from  the  artful  deceptions  of  the  Devil. 

III.     Make  some  application. 

I.  We  are  to  shew  with  what  ingenuity  the  Devil  imitates  the 
true  Christ,  and  the  operations  of  his  Spirit  in  regeneration  and 
sanctification.  But  before  we  enter  upon  the  discussion  of  the 
subject,  we  would  make  a  few  preparatory  remarks  for  the  bet- 
ter understanding  of  the  doctrine. 

1st.  The  Devil  is  an  intelligent  spirit,  possessing  more  wisdom, 
perhaps,  than  all  the  human  race  collectively;  and,  since  he  has 
had  near  six  thousand  years  experience  in  tempting  human  na- 
ture, he  must  be  perfectly  acquainted  with  the  constitution,  the 
temper  and  disposition  of  every  individual  of  Adam's  family. — 
And  knows  well  how  to  bring  his  infernal  schemes  to  bear  upon 
the  human  mind.  In  acting  the  false  Christ,  he  accomplished 
his  hellish  purposes,  by  merely  counterfeiting  the  operations  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  and  thus  finally  deceives  the  soul,  or  induces 
those  under  the  operations  of  the  Divine  Spirit,  to  stop  short  of 
a  sound  conversion;  some  taking  their  convictions  for  Christ — 
some  their  bodily  agitations — others  their  enlargements  in 
prayer,  their  tears  and  melting  frames.  He  deludes  others,  al- 
most christians,  just  coming  to  the  new  birth,  by  presenting  some 
phantom  or  delusion  to  the  mind,  which  it  embraces,  instead  of 
Christ,  and  they  are  thus  forever  shipwrecked  and  lost.  But  to 
proceed  to  the  illustration  of  the  doctrine. 

When  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  works  with  power  upon  the 
heart,  and  effects  the  new  creation  in  the  soul;  he  who  is  the 
subject  of  this  great  work,  can  give  a  rational  and  scripti-"-al  ac- 
count of  the  matter.  He  can  tell  that  the  Spirit  of  God  arrest- 
ed him  while  in  his  career  to  hell.  He  can  point  to  the  solemn 
sermon,  or  dispensation  of  Divine  Providence,  by  which  he  was 


FROM    THAT    OF    THE    DEVIL.  239 

alarmed  and  awakened  to  his  dreadful  danger,  while  out  of 
Christ.  He  can  tell  that  he  was  led  by  the  Lord,  who  laid  his 
heart  open  to  his  view,  and  enabled  him  to  see  and  feel  that  hi 
whole  nature  was  sin,  and  his  heart  enmity  against  God;  tkit, 
slain  by  the  law,  and  dead  to  all  hope  in  himself,  he  lay  at  the 
feet  of  Jesus,  crying,  Lord,  save  or  1  perish.  He  can  tell,  that  in 
this  most  hopeless  and  desperate  time,  Christ  appeared  for  his  deli- 
verance ;  that  the  glorious  plan  of  his  salvation  was  unfolded  to 
his  view,  and  by  faith  he  beheld  the  glory,  beauty,  fulness,  suffi- 
ciency, and  willingness  of  Jesus  to  save;  that  his  heart  acqui- 
esced in  the  new  covenant ;  that  the  burden  of  sin  and  guilt  was 
removed,  and  "^Ae  peace  of  God,  which  passeth  all  understand- 
ing'''' filled  his  whole  soul.  This  every  genuine  christian  can  do 
in  some  degree. 

The  Psalmist  cries. out;  ''''Come  and  hear,  all  ye  that  fear  God, 
and  I  will  declare  what  he  hath  done  for  my  soul  :''^  and  often  does 
he  tell  of  the  great  things  which  the  Lord  hath  done  for  him. — 
"ife  brought  me  up  also,  out  of  an  horrible  pit,  out  of  the  miry 
clay,  and  set  my  feet  upon  a  rock,  and  established  my  goings.  And 
he  hath  put  a  new  song  in  my  mouth,  even  praise  unto  God.  As 
far  as  the  east  is  from  the  west,  so  far  hath  the  Lord  removed  our 
transgressions  from  us.''"' 

The  apostle  Paul  at  different  times,  tells  of  the  great  things  the 
Lord  has  done  for  his  soul,  giving  a  particular  narration  of  his 
conversion.  And  this  was  undoubtedly  the  practice  of  the  pri- 
mitive church  in  the  days  of  the  apostles;  for  Peter  directs  all 
christians  to  be  ever  ready  to  give  a  reason  for  the  hope  that  is 
within  them. 

But  such  is  the  craft  and  subtlety  of  the  old  Serpent,  and  so 
ingeniously  does  he  counterfeit  the  operations  of  the  Spirit  of 
Christ,  that  the  deceived  hypocrite  can  give  a  relation  of  his  ex- 
perience, so  rational  and  plausible,  that  it  is  difficult  to  distin- 
guish it  from  that  of  the  genuine  christian.  When  he  speaks  of 
his  awakening  and  conviction  of  sin,  his  exercises  go  hand  in 
hand  with  those  of  the  child  of  God.  He  goes  through  a  prepa- 
ratory law-work,  until  he  comes  to  the  very  point  of  closing 
with  Christ;  and  when  he  tells,  of  his  joys  and  his  comforts, 
which  he  has  mistaken  for  conversion^  perhaps  the  most  discern- 
ing minister  of  Christ,  the  most  sharpsighted  christian  on  earth, 
cannot  shew  where  the  deception  lies. 

2nd.  The  true  christian,  under  the  influence  of  the  Divine  Spirit, 
at  his  conversion,  and  at  many  blessed  seasons  afterwards,  when 
he  gets  near  to  God,  is  filled  with  "^03/  unspeakable  and  full  of 
glory,''''  and  is  constrained  to  praise  and  glorify  God.  Now, 
this  is  not  at  all  astonishing;  for  when  a  poor,  guilty,  despairing, 
dying  sinner,  feels  himself  plucked  as  a  brand  from  the  burning 
— escaped  from  the  jaws  of  gaping  hell,  like  a  bird  from  the 
fowler's  snare; — when  he  views  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of 


240  THE    WORK    OF    THE    SPIRIT    DISTINGUISHED 

Jesus,  and  his  soul  is  enraptured  with  the  beauties  of  Immanuei, 
while  the  love  of  God  is  shed  abroad  in  his  heart: — it  is  nothing 
strange,  I  say,  for  him  to  rejoice  and  shout  aloud,  and  exceed  the 
bounds  of  what  the  world  calls  order. 

David  rejoiced  and  praised  God. — ^'Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul; 
and  all  that  is  within  me,  bless  his  holy  name.  Bless  the  Lord, 
O  my  soul,  and  forget  7iot  all  his  benefits;  who  forgiveth  all  thine 
iniquities;  who  heaJeth  all  thy  diseases;  who  redeemeth  thy  life 
from  destruction;  y:ho  crowneth  thee  with  loving  kindness  and 
tender  mercies.''''  The  eunuch  ^^went  on  his  way  rejoicing.''''  The 
Jailor  '''•rejoiced,  believing  in  God,  with  all  his  house.''"'  The 
Spirit  declares  expressly,  that  peace  and  joy  are  the  consequen- 
ces of  the  pardoning  love  of  God. — ^'Being  justified  by  faith,  we 
have  peace  with  God  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  by  whom  al- 
so, we  have  access  by  faith  into  this  grace,  wherein  we  stand  and 
rejoice  in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God.'''' 

But  the  Devil,  acting  the  false  Christ,  can  very  ingeniously 
counterfeit  the  sweet  joy  and  comforts  of  the  justified  soul:  so 
that  the  deceived  hypocrite  may  have  something  which  seems 
nearly  to  resemble  them.  The  scripture  speaks  of  such  joy. — 
^^He  that  receiveth  th&  word  into  stoney  places,  the  same  is  he  that 
heareth  the  word,  and  anon  with  joy  receiveth  it.''"'  The  children 
of  Israel,  at  the  Red  Sea,  publicly  rejoiced  and  praised  God  with 
songs  and  instruments  of  music ;  but  we  are  told  they  soon  for- 
got his  works. 

The  poor  sinner  who  has  had  alarming  views  of  his  misery  and 
danger — who  has  felt  himself  suspended  over  the  bottomless  pit 
of  hell,  and  has  embraced  a  phantom  instead  of  Christ,  thinks  all 
well,  supposing  that  he  has  .escaped  everlasting  ruin — and  that 
heaven  and  eternal  hfe  are  sure.  Therefore,  he  feels  happy,  and 
shouts  for  joy.  He  feels  a  flow  of  affection  too,  which  bears  a 
great  resemblance  to  the  love  of  the  heaven-born  convert;  but 
if  searched  to  the  bottom,  it  will  be  found  to  have  no  higher 
principle  than  self  for  its  foundation.  The  beauties  of  Immanu- 
ei, the  glory  of  God  shining  in  the  face  of  Jesus,  the  infinite  ex- 
cellencies and  attributes  of  the  Deity  are,  to  him,  dark  and  pro- 
found mysteries.  He  loves  God  because  he  thinks  he  will  take 
him  to  heaven.  He  loves  Christ  for  his  benefits  and  not  for  the 
perfections  of  his  person. 

In  this  dreadful  state,  are  many  who  have  stopped  short  of  gen- 
uine religion,  and  are  now  rejoicing  in  prospect  of  heaven  and 
immortal  glory,  and  will  perhaps  not  be  undeceived  until  they  fall 
into  the  flames  of  hell. 

3rd.  Sometimes  the  children  of  God  when  first  converted,  and 
not  unfrequently  afterwards,  are  the  subjects  of  great  bodily  ag- 
itations. Here  we  would  remark,  that  mankind  are  apt  to  run 
into  extremes  upon  this  subject — contending  that  all  bodily  ex- 
ercises in  religion  are  the  delusive  effects  of  diabolical  agency, 
or  that  they  are  the  evidences  of  a  gracious  work.     And  there 


FROM   THAT    OF    THE    DEVIL.  241 

are  not  a  few,  who  suppose  that  the  Spirit  of  God  can  be  in  no 
public  assembly,  unless  there  are  bodily  agitations.  Now,  both 
of  these  opinions  are  erroneous;  for  although  bodily  exercises 
are  no  evidence  of  grace,  nor  at  the  same  time,  a  proof  of  the 
want  of  it,  it  is  very  clear,  that  they  are  sometimes  the  effects  of 
the  mighty  power  of  God. — And  yet  we  know  the  Devil  is  capa- 
ble of  imitating  this  work. 

It  is  true,  that  thousands  of  God's  dear  children  have  had  un- 
common bodily  agitations,  but  yet  have  enjoyed  sweet  fellow- 
ship and  communion  with  the  Father  and  his  Son  Jesus  Christ; 
and  the  word  of  God  goes  to  shew  that  many  eminent  saints  may 
be  included  in  the  number.  Habakkuk  speaks  of  his  bodily 
strength  being  so  overcome  by  the  majesty  of  God,  that  his 
^'belly  trembled,^''  and  his  lips  '^quivered  at  the  voice.''''  Says  the 
Psalmist,  ^^my  jiesh  tremblethfor  fear  of  thee,''''  Elsewhere  he 
speaks  of  his  heart  and  flesh  crying  out  for  the  living  God,  and 
of  his  flesh  longing  for  the  presence  of  the  Lord.  The  prophet 
Daniel,  in  giving  an  account  of  an  extraordinary  manifestation 
of  the  divine  glory  says,  ^' There  remained  no  strength  in  me,  for 
my  comeliness  was  turned  into  corruption,  and  I  retained  no 
strength,''''  John,  under  a  similar  manifestation  of  the  glory  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  tells  us,  that  he  fell  at  his  feet  as  one  dead. 
The  circumstance  of  Paul  in  his  journey  to  Damascus,  and  other 
examples,  might  be  produced,  which  prove  beyond  the  shadow 
of  a  doubt,  that  bodily  exercises  are  often  the  effects  of  the 
mighty  power  of  God. 

But,  as  the  Old  Serpent  imitated  the  miracles  of  Moses  in 
Egypt,  and  counterfeits  the  more  refined  spiritual  exercises  of 
the  mind,  there  is  no  doubt  of  his  producing  every  species  of  ag- 
itations of  the  body.  History  informs  us,  that  Pythia,  the  priest- 
ess, who  delivered  the  oracles  of  Apollo,  in  the  ancient  ages  of 
the  pagan  world,  that  before  she  gave  answers  to  impatient  in- 
quirers, she  would  fall  down  and  foam  and  roll  in  tremendous 
convulsions.  And  by  historians  who  have  traveled  through  the 
north  western  parts  of  the  American  continent,  and  have  been 
present  when  the  Indians  were  engaged  in  their  conjura- 
tions, we  are  told  that  the  persons  acting  as  their  priests,  would 
suddenly  fall  down  as  if  dead,  and  remain  in  that  situation  for  a 
long  time.  If  this  be  a  fact,  the  Devil  at  the  present  daj'  pi'O- 
duces  the  same  effects  upon  the  bodies  of  men. 

There  is  no  doubt  from  scripture,  but  the  people  of  God  may 
be  filled  with  overpowering  views  of  divine  glory,  and  with 
sweet  sensations  of  love  to  God,  be  constrained  to  leap  and  re- 
joice, and  shout  aloud  with  vehemence. — And  at  the  same  time, 
I  believe  that  the  Old  Serpent,  may  fill  the  deceived  soul  so  full 
of  false  joy  as  to  produce  a  like  effect.  But  often  the  hypocrite 
is  prompted  by  spiritual  pride  to  shout  in  order  to  be  noticed, 


242  THE    WORK    OF    THE    SPIRIT    DISTINGUISHED 

esteemed  and  admired,  by  the  people  of  God  for  his   piety  and 
holiness. 

4th.  The  soul  that  is  converted  and  renewed  by  the  Spirit  of 
God,  often  feels  an  unspeakable  pleasure  in  drawing  near  to  the 
Lord  in  the  ordinances  of  his  house.  It  is  very  manifest  that  it 
is  the  nature  of  grace,  or  spiritual  life,  in  the  soul,  to  lead  the 
people  of  God  to  delight  in  his  appointments,  and  to  spend  much 
time  in  hearing  the  gospel  and  attending  on  sacramental  solem- 
nities, as  well  as  praying  and  singing  the  praises  of  God.  An- 
na, the  prophetess,  '''•departed  not  from  the  temple,  hut  served  God 
with  fastings  and  prayer^  day  and  night.''^  The  primitive  chris- 
tians in  Jerusalem  continued  daily  with  one  accord  in  the  temple, 
and  breaking  bread  from  house  to  house,  did  eat  their  meat  with 
gladness  and  singleness  of  heart, praising  God.  Daniel  delight- 
ed in  prayer,  and  solemnly  attended  to  it  three  times  a  day. 
Divine  grace  inclines  the  people  of  God  to  delight  in  praising  his 
name. — ^'•Praise  ye  the  Lord;  praise  him,  O  ye  servants  of  the 
Lord:  sing  praises  to  his  name,  for  it  is  pleasant.''''  ^''Praise  ye 
the  Lord,  for  it  is  good  to  sing  praises  to  our  God.'"'  They  also 
delight  in  the  preaching  of  the  word.  The  gospel  of  Christ  is 
a  joyful  sound  to  them.  ^^Blessed  is  the  people  that  know  the  joy- 
ful sound.''^  David  declares,  "/  will  wash  my  hands  iJi  innocen- 
cy;  so  will  I  compass  thine  altar,  O  Lord,  that  I  may  publish  ivith 
the  voice  of  thanksgiving,  and  tell  of  all  thy  wondrous  works.''"' 
^^Lord,  I  have  loved  the  habitation  of  thy  house,  and  the  place 
where  thine  honor  dwelleth.''''  ''■One  thing  have  I  desired  of  the 
Lord,  that  will  I  seek  after;  that  I  may  dwell  in  the  hoii  e  of  the 
Lord  all  the  days  ofmylife,to  behold  the  beauty  of  the  Lord,  and 
to  inquire  in  his  temple.''''  ^'•How  amiable  are  thy  tabernacles,  O 
Lord  of  hosts!  My  soul  longeth,  yea,  even  fainteth,  for  the  courts 
of  the  Lord.'' 

The  experience  of  every  heaven-born  soul  can  witness  the 
truth  of  these  things.  But  such  is  the  ingenuity  of  the  Devil, 
that  he  can  imitate  them  also.  The  poor  deceived  hypocrite 
may  spend  much  time  in  the  duties  of  religion,  and  that  too  with 
great  zeal  and  diligence;  and  even  with  pleasure  and  delight. 
This  was  the  case  with  the  hypocritical  Jews  of  old,  whose  ser- 
vices were  abominable  unto  God.  Saith  he,  "  Your  nezv  moons, 
and  your  appointed  feasts,  my  soul  hatetli ;  they  are  a  trouble  unto 
me;  I  am  weary  to  bear  them.  And  when  ye  spread  forth  ymr 
hands,  I  loill  hide  7nine  eyes  from  you,  yea,  when  ye  i7iake  many 
prayers,  I  will  not  hear;  your  hands  are  fill  of  blood.'"  Such  was 
the  case  also,  with  the  Pharisees.  They  made  long  prayers, 
and  fasted  twice  a  week.  As  has  been  said,  deceived  hypo- 
crites may  not  only  be  diligent  and  earnest  in  their  attendance 
on  the  means  of  grace,  but  may  also  take  delight  in  the  duties 
and  ordinances  of  God's  house.     This  is  plain  from  high  author- 


FROM    THAT    OF    THE   DEVIL.  243 

ity.  "  They  seek  me  daily^  and  delight  to  know  my  ways^  as  a  na- 
tion that  did  righttousness^"  and  forsook  not  the  ordinance  of  GodJ'^ 
"  They  come  unto  thee  as  the  people  cometh^  and  they  sit  down  before 
thee,  as  my  people,  and  they  hear  thy  words,  but  they  will  not  do 
them;  for  with  their  mouth  they  show  much  love,  but  their  heart 
goeth  after  their  covetousness.  And  lo,  thou  art  unto  them  as  a 
very  lovely  song  of  one  that  hath  a  pleasant  voice,  and  can  play 
well  on  an  instrument;  for  they  hear  thy  words,  but  they  do  them 
not.^^  Herod  heard  John  the  Baptist  gladly,  and  of  others  of  his 
hearers  we  are  told,  that  for  a  season  they  rejoiced  in  his  light; 
and  the  stoney  ground  hearers  also  received  the  word  with  joy. 

5th.  Passages  of  scripture  are  frequently  brought  to  the  hearts 
of  true  believers,  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  with  great  light  and 
clearness.  The  Bible  is  the  great  store  house  where  their  treas- 
ures lie.  When  Christ  speaks  peace  and  comfort  to  their  souls, 
it  is  often  through  the  medium  of  the  written  word.  Sometimes 
a  precious  text  of  scripture  opened  to  their  view,  is  the  means  by 
which  Jesus  first  reveals  to  them  his  love.  This  seems  to  have 
been  the  case  with  David. — ''^Remember  the  word  unto  thy  serv- 
ant,  upon  which  thou  hast  caused  me  to  hope.''''  And  they  always 
meet  with  Christ,  when  by  faith,  they  rely  upon  the  sweet  prom- 
ises of  his  word. 

But  in  this  instance  the  Devil  exerts  his  usual  ingenuity.  He 
often  suggests  his  fatal  deceptions  to  the  mind  by  texts  of  scrip- 
ture. When  he  had  the  daring  impudence  to  quote  scripture 
to  the  Son  of  God,  to  deceive  and  tempt  him  to  sin,  and  when  he 
so  often  counterfeits  the  operations  of  the  Holy  Spirit;  is  it  no 
matter  of  surprise  that  he  should  use  the  same  means  to  deceive 
poor  sinful  worms  of  the  dust? 

6th.  When  the  true  believer  meets  with  Jesus  and  feels  the  wit- 
ness of  the  pardoning  love  of  God,  his  lips  are  opened  and  his 
tongue  loosed,  not  only  to  praise  and  glorify  the  Lord,  but  also, 
to  converse  with  great  liberty,  fervency  and  animation,  upon 
the  divine  realities  of  religion—  to  exhort  and  warn  their  fellow 
creatures  of  their  guilt  and  danger.  When  the  humble  christian 
meets  his  Redeemer,  he  feels  that  his  love  is  sweeter  than  life. 
The  scriptures  unfold  their  blessed  realities. — Eternity  and  eter- 
nal things  are  discovered  to  him  in  all  their  dreadful  and  solemn 
importance.  The  glory,  beauty,  fullness,  and  preciousness  of 
Jesus  enrapture  his  soul.  His  heart  is  inflamed,  his  tongue  is 
loosed,  and  he  speaks  the  language  of  Paradise.  He  tells  of  the 
wonders  of  Immanuel,  and  his  blessed  hopes  of  eternal  life. 
With  importunity,  he  warns  sinners  of  impending  wrath,  and 
entreats  them  to  seek  salvation.  He  tells  them  of  the  boundless 
sufficiency  of  Christ,  and  his  gracious  willingness  to  receive  the 
chief  of  sinners:  and  the  truth  of  all  he  speaks  is  felt  in  his  very 
inmost  soul. 

S2 


244  THE    WORK    OF    THE    SPIRIT    DISTINGUISHED 

But,  alas !  the  Devil  has  a  counterfeit  for  this  too.  With  what 
warmth  and  animation,  could  many,  who  are  now  immersed  in 
the  delusion  of  Shakerism,  talk  of  Christ  and  heaven,  and  all  the 
glorious  realities  of  religion.  Recur  to  the  dreadful  example  of 
Judas,  Desus,  Philetus,  and  many  others,  once  great  professors 
and  ministers  of  the  gospel,  but  who  turned  back,  and  demon- 
strated to  the  world  that  they  were  strangers  to  Christ,  and  knew 
nothingof  the  blessed  realities  of  religion.  How  many  such  in- 
stances have  occurred  in  every  age  of  the  church,  and  alas !  how 
many  persons  have  we  known,  who,  during  the  late  revival, 
made  a  flaming  profession  of  religion,  prayed  and  exhorted  with 
great  life  and  surprising  vehemence,  but  who  are  now  careless, 
prayerless  and  profane,  giving  the  most  dreadful  evidence  that 
their  natures  were  never  changed — their  hearts  never  right  with 
God. 

7th.  It  is  a  glorious  privilege  of  the  people  of  God  to  obtain  clear 
assurances  of  their  union  with  Christ.  Many  true  believers  in 
all  ages,  have  attained  to  an  unshaken  confidence  of  an  ever- 
lasting happiness.  With  language  of  the  strongest  assurance, 
Job  speaks  of  his  interest  in  the  love  and  favor  of  God. — "/ Arnoio 
that  my  Redeemer  liveth,  and  that  he  shall  stand  at  the  latter  day 
upon  the  earth ;  and  though  after  my  skin  worms  shall  destroy  this 
body,  yet  in  myfesh  shall  I  see  God;  when  I  shall  see  for  myself, 
and  mine  eyes  shall  behold  and  not  another.''''  With  the  same  con- 
fidence he  declares — "T^Aom  have  I  in  heaven,  hut  thee?  and  there 
is  none  upon_^  the  earth  that  I  desire  besides  thee.  My  flesh  and 
my  heart  fainteth ;  but  God  is  the  strength  of  my  heart  and  my 
portion  forever.^'' 

The  Lord  Jesus  in  his  last  conversation  with  his  disciples,  be- 
fore his  crucifixion,  in  plain  terms,  assures  them  of  his  everlast- 
ing love.  Paul,  throughout  his  epistles,  speaks  with  unshaken 
confidence  of  his  eternal  happiness. — ^^For  me  to  live  is  Christ, 
and  to  die  is  gain.''''  '•^For  lam  in  a  strait  betwixt  two,  having  a 
desire  to  depart  and  be  with  Christ;  which  is  far  better.''''  "/  have 
fought  a  good  fight,  I  havejinished  my  course,  I  have  kept  the  faith : 
henceforth  there  is  laid  up  for  me  a  crown  of  y^ighteousness,  which 
the  Lord,  tlie  righteous  judge  shall  give  me  at  that  day;  and  not  to 
me  only  but  unto  all  ihe?n  that  love  his  appearing.''^ 

And  I  humbly  trust  the  experience  of  many  of  the  Lord's  chil- 
dren, at  the  present  day,  can  abundantly  testify  that  a  blessed 
assurance  of  heaven  and  eternal  life,  may  be  attained  by  all  who 
press  after  it  with  unwearied  diligence. 

But  the  subtle,  arch-fiend  of  hell,  in  this  instance  displays  the 
same  ingenuity.  Many  poor  deceived  souls  have  a  delusive 
hope  of  heaven  and  everlasting  happiness,  as  immoveable  as  a 
mountain,  so  firm,  that  nought  but  the  flames  of  hell  can  shake 
it.  How  unshaken  was  the  Pharisee's  hope,  when  in  the  language 
of  boasting  h»  could  say,  "God,  I  thank  thee,  that  lam  not  as  oth- 


FROM    THAT    OF    THE    DEVIL.  245 

er  men.''''    And  are  there  not  many  going  with  the  same  false 
hope  to  the  judgment  bar? 

An  old  grey  headed  man,  just  on  the  brink  of  eternity,  once 
told  his  experience,  expressing  an  unshaken  hope  of  heaven  and 
eternal  bliss;  though  at  the  same  time,  in  a  state  of  intoxication, 
and  a  short  time  before,  in  a  bloody  rage,  had  shot  one  of  his 
neighbors  through  the  body,  the  wound  fortunately  not  proving 
mortal. 

Our  subject  is  awful  and  momentous,  but  so  copious,  that  time 
will  not  permit  to  do  it  ample  justice.  But  upon  the  whole,  such 
is  the  wisdom,  the  craft,  the  subtlety,  and  ingenuity,  of  that  Old 
Serpent,  the  Devil,  and  such  his  desire  to  deceive  and  destroy 
the  human  race,  that  he  is  always  engaged  with  unwearied  dili- 
gence, in  counterfeiting  every  operation  and  every  grace  of  the 
divine  Spirit:  and  every  member  and  feature  of  the  new  crea- 
ture. Hence,  faith,  repentance,  love  to  God,  and  communion 
with  him,  zeal,  pure  religion,  self-denial,  and  holy  obedience, 
have  imitations  which  as  nearly  resemble  them,  as  counterfeit 
money  the  pure  coin. 

But,  says  some  poor  deluded  soul,  I  know  that  I  love  God — 
that  I  love  Christ  and  cannot  be  deceived;  for  the  Devil  can 
neither  love,  nor  counterfeit  love  to  God.  My  dear  friend,  you 
are  under  a  fatal  mistake.  It  is  a  fact,  that  the  Old  Serpent  can- 
not produce  true  love  to  the  true  God  and  to  the  true  Christ,  but 
he  can  raise  an  imaginary  God,  and  imaginary  Christ,  which  pre- 
sented to  the  mind,  may  influence  you  to  love  the  image,  and 
fill  you  with  rapturous  joy  and  comfort. 

The  drunken,  blasphemous  deist  may  love  his  imaginary  God 
— a  being  so  great,  so  highly  exalted,  that  he  takes  no  notice  of 
the  wicked  actions  of  men.  The  careless  sinner  loves  his  God — 
a  being  all  goodness  and  mercy — that  will  overlook  and  forgive 
all  his  wickedness,  and  take  him  to  heaven  when  he  dies.  And 
when  the  ingenuity  of  the  Devil  invents  a  God  or  Christ,  much 
more  tefined  and  captivating  than  either  of  these,  the  deceived 
hypocrite  may  be  enraptured  with  love  for  it,  and  constrained  to 
leap  and  shout  for  joy. 

But  by  this  time,  some  perhaps  are  saying  this  doctrine  is  wrong, 
for  it  leaves  no  foundation  for  the  christian.  I  know  that  my 
experience  is  right — this  cuts  it  off";  and  therefore,  that  doctrine 
must  be  wrong.  Poor  soul,  you  are  the  very  deceived  creature, 
we  have  been  seeking.  You  are  on  terms  with  the  Devil,  and 
are  opening  the  door  of  your  heart  for  the  false  Christ;  you  say, 
your  experience  is  founded  on  the  Bible ;  that  which  holds  up 
your  experience  is  the  truth;  what  bears  hard  upon  it — is  all 
wrong.  The  Devil  asks  no  better  chance  than  that  which  you 
afford  him,  to  cheat  you  out  of  your  soul. 

But,  methinks  the  honest  humble  christian  all  this  while,  is 


246  THE    WORK    OF    THE    SPIRIT    DISTINGUISHED 

asking  himself,  what  shall  I  do?  Where  the  evidences  of  the 
christian  are  laid  down,  I  dare  not  refuse  to  witness  them.  But 
where  the  counterfeits  and  deceptions  of  the  Old  Serpent  are  sta- 
ted, I  fall  into  awful  doubts.  Lord  search  me,  and  try  me. — If  I 
am  deceived,  Lord  undeceive  me — shew  me  my  error. 

And  if  it  be  so  that  the  delusions  of  the  Devil  are  so  subtle 
and  ingenious,  pray  sir,  state  some  of  the  evidences  of  grace — 
some  of  the  works  of  the  Spirit,  by  which  the  true  (christian  may 
be  distinguished  from  the  self-deceiver  and  hypocrite? 

We  will  comply  with  your  request,  for  we  promised — 

n.  To  distinguish  the  operations  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  from  the 
artful  deceptions  of  the  Devil. 

Under  the  operations  of  the  Divine  Spirit,  the  genuine  chris- 
tian is — 

1st.  Anew  creatwe',  the  subject  of  a  saving  change  of  nature. 
"7/*  any  man  he  in  Christ  he  is  a  new  creature;  old  things  are 
passed  away;  behold  all  things  are  become  new.''"'  "We  are  his 
workmanships  created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works.'''' 

Religion  is  simply  a  change  of  nature,  and  consists  in  holy 
principles,  holy  dispositions,  and  holy  views;  and  these  are  pro- 
ductive of  a  godly  life  and  conversation.  Hence,  in  scripture 
the  true  christian  is  said,  to  hear  the  image  of  Christ — to  he  a  par- 
taker of  the  divine  nature — to  have  the  same  mind  that  was  in 
Jesus — and  that  his  soul  and  body  are  the  temple  of  the  Holy 
Ghost. 

In  regeneration,  his  convictions  of  sin  are  deep  and  thorough, 
yet  rational  and  scriptural.  As  the  word  of  God  expresses  it, 
The  falloiv  ground  of  his  heart  is  broken  up;  the  hands  of  divine 
vengeance  wound  his  soul  to  the  bottom;  the  sins  of  his  life — 
the  sins  of  his  heart — the  sins  of  his  best  duties — the  total  deprav- 
ity of  his  nature — the  dreadful  extent  and  deep  malignity  of  un- 
belief— are  laid  open  to  his  view.  The  law  comes  to  his  heart 
with  convincing  light  and  power.  Upon  rational  principles  he 
sees  and  feels  himself  a  sinner;  he  sees  the  exceeding  sinfulness 
of  sin;  and  feels  his  utter  inability,  to  keep  the  commandments 
of  God,  to  believe  in  Christ,  to  think  a  good  thought,  or  com- 
mand one  holy  desire  or  pious  atfection.  He  becomes  dead  to 
the  law,  every  hope  gives  up  the  ghost,  and  he  can  only  plead 
guilty,  guilty,  before  God. 

In  this  way  Christ  brings  about  the  new  creation ;  and  in  this 
way  the  sinner  is  brought  from  death  unto  life,  his  hopes,  his  joys, 
his  comforts,  and  the  first  motions  of  a  spiritual  life  in  the  soul, 
arise  from  a  true  discovery  of  the  intrinsic  excellence  and  glory 
of  the  moral  perfections  of  God,  manifested  in  the  life,  the  obe- 
dience, the  death,  and  atonement  of  the  God-man,  Christ  Jesus. 
This  is  evidently  declared  by  the  Spirit. — ^^For  God  who  com- 
manded the  light  to  shine  out  of  darkness,  hath  shined  in  our  hearts^ 


FROM   THAT   OF   THE  DEVIL.  247 

to  give  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  tlie  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of 
Jesus  Christy  ''''But  we  all,  with  open  face,  beholding  as  in  a  glass^ 
the  glory  of  the  Lord,  are  changed  into  the  same  image  from  glory 
to  glory,  even  as  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lo7-d.^^ 

The  divine  spirit  enligiitens  his  mind  through  the  medium  of 
his  precious  word,  to  have  the  most  just  and  correct  views  of  the 
holy  nature  and  infinite  perfections  of  God.  He  beholds  his 
spotless  holiness,  his  unbending  justice,  his  boundless  love,  and 
imperishable  goodness  and  mercy.  He  sees  a  glorious  lustre  and 
beauty  in  the  perfect  law-fulfilling  righteousness  and  atonement 
of  Jesus  Christ.  The  plan  by  which  God  can  be  just,  and  the  jus- 
tifier  of  sinners  who  call  on  Jesus,  appears  plain  and  easy  to  his 
understanding.  He  sees  that  all  his  abominable  sin  and  guilt, 
can,  upon  principles  of  justice,  be  pardoned,  and  the  perfect 
righteousness  of  Christ  imputed  to  him  for  his  justification. 

The  poor  believing  sinner  may  now  be  said  to  have  come  to 
his  right  mind  or  proper  senses;  and  he  sees  all  things,  in  some 
degree,  as  they  are.  He  sees  them  in  the  light  of  the  Spirit 
which  shines  into  his  mind.  His  heart  and  affections  are  drawn 
to  love  God  upon  rational  and  scriptural  principles.  He  loves 
him  from  a  spiritual  knowledge  of  the  amiable  excellence  of  his 
nature  and  perfections.  He  loves  holiness  because  of  its  intrin- 
sic beauty  and  loveliness.  He  loves  the  law  of  God,  because  it 
is  the  transcript  of  his  moral  perfections.  He  loves  the  loritten 
word,  because  it  is  the  mirror  in  which  he  beholds  his  Father's 
face,  the  medium  through  which  he  sees  his  heavenly  inheri- 
tance, and  enjoys  sweet  foretastes  of  eternal  bliss. 

2nd.  Another  distinguishing  peculiarity  of  the  genuine  christian, 
is  humility.  This  is  one  of  the  most  amiable  graces  of  the  new 
creature,  and  one  of  the  most  prominent  evidences  of  the  real- 
ity of  spiritual  life  in  the  soul.  Now,  humility  is  one  of  the 
secrets  of  the  new  covenant.  Like  the  ^^white  stone,'^  on  which 
was  written  a  new  name,  which  no  man  knoweth,  saving  he  that 
receiveth  it. 

There  are  many  professors  of  religion,  who  tell  us  many 
things  concerning  their  great  light,  their  joys,  and  large  attain- 
ments in  the  divine  life.  They  have  passed  by  old  experienced 
christians,  and  faithful  ministers  of  Christ,  and  left  them  far  be- 
hind. They  are  exactly  right,  and  all  the  world  besides  are 
wrong.  They  are  always  teaching  and  never  learning.  But 
no  one  ever  hears  them  lamenting  over  the  wickedness  of  their 
hearts,  or  asking  questions  for  their  information  upon  the  im- 
portant matters  of  the  soul.  Indeed,  there  is  nothing  about 
them  which  wears  the  appearance  of  great  humility,  which 
proves  very  clearly  that  all  their  religion  is  deception. 

Many  professing  christians  have  no  other  ideas  of  humility 
than  those  of  a  plain  old  fashioned  dress,  awkward  mamiers,  and 


248  THE    WORK    or    THE    SPIRIT    DISTINGUISHED 

cheap  homely  diet;  and  pride,  the  opposite  of  humility,  with 
them,  consists  in  vain^  gf^udy  attire^  and  the  superfluous  orna- 
ments of  giddy  youth.  When  they  speak  of  the  nature  of  pride, 
all  you  hear  about  the  matter  is,  rings,  ribands,  ruffles  and  trin- 
kets. But  these  are  only  some  of  the  little  top-twigs  of  the 
tree:  the  root  hes  deep,  in  the  very  bottom  of  the  heart. 

The  humble  christian,  who  knows  himself,  and  sees  the  se- 
crets of  his  heart,  has  ideas  of  humility,  and  views  of  pride 
widely  different.  His  humility  is  one  of  the  immediate  effects 
of  his  first  view  of  the  glory  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus.  All  his 
bitter  convictions,  the  thunders  of  the  law,  and  tormenting  fears 
of  hell,  could  not  humble  his  proud  heart.  He  never  felt  the 
smallest  symptom  of  humility  until  the  Spirit  of  God  opened  the 
eyes  of  his  understanding  to  behold  the  divine  glory  shining  in 
the  face  of  Christ.  It  was  a  faith's  view  of  this  glory,  and  the 
pardoning  love  and  mercy  of  God,  which  broke  his  proud  heart, 
and  humbled  him  at  the  feet  of  Jesus.  Even  while  he  felt  the 
sweetest  sensations  of  love,  and  beheld  the  dawning  of  heaven 
on  earthly  ground,  he  was  ashamed  and  confounded  before  God, 
and  wept  and  mourned  with  heart-melting  sorrow  and  distress. 
O  how  unworthy  and  mean — how  filthy  and  abominable,  did  he 
appear  to  himself.  And  he  could  scarcely  forgive  himself,  even 
when  he  felt  the  witness  of  the  forgiving  love  of  God.  This  is 
well  expressed  in  the  exercises  of  Job — "/  have  heard  of  thee  by 
the  hearing  of  the  ear;  but  now  mine  eye  seeth  thee:  wherefore  I 
abhor  myself,  and  repent  in  dust  and  ashes.^^ 

Whenever  the  genuine  christian  gets  near  to  God,  the  same  light 
by  which  he  discovers  the  excellencies  of  the  nature  and  per- 
fections of  God,  the  beauty  and  glory  of  Christ,  and  the  spiritu- 
al meaning  of  the  written  word,  also  enables  him  to  discover  his 
own  sinfuness  and  un worthiness;  and  he  is  struck  with  wonder 
that  the  condescension  of  God  should  be  extended  to  such  a 
worm  of  the  dust.  In  his  own  sight,  he  is  the  meanest  of  all 
the  ransomed  of  the  Lord — the  greatest  wonder  of  redeeming 
grace.  The  more  he  knows  of  God,  and  the  more  he  sees  of 
himself,  the  humbler  he  lies  in  the  dust;  the  more  he  complains 
of  his  want  of  humility.  In  every  situation,  spiritual  pride  is 
the  plague  and  torment  of  his  soul:  it  seems  to  pollute  all  that 
he  does. 

When  he  prays  with  life  and  zeal,  pride  whispers,  well  done. 
This  confounds  the  honest  soul ;  and  if  he  begins  to  tell  his  com- 
plaints to  one  of  his  fellow  creatures,  pride  is  mingling  itself 
with  his  tears,  and  ere  he  is  aware,  is  shewing  its  hellish  lace 
through  his  groans  and  complaints.  Again,  when  he  gets  happy 
in  the  public  congregation,  and  rejoices  and  praises  God,  pride 
whispers,  well  done.  The  people  of  God  will  esteem  you,  and 
admire  your  zeal  and  attainments  in  religion.     Now,  this  makes 


FROM    THAT    OF    THE    DKVIL«  249 

him  "loathe  and  hate  himself;  and  run  again  and  again  to  the 
blood  of  Christ  for  pardon  and  deliverance.  In  short,  day  by 
day,  he  sees  so  much  ignorance,  weakness  and  self-righteousness 
— so  much  pride,  hypocrisy  and  unbelief  mixed  with  all  he  does 
— that  he  feels  himself  the  least  of  all  saints,  the  meanest  that 
ever  tasted  the  love  of  Jesus. 

3rd.  Another  peculiarity  which  distinguishes  the  genuine  chris- 
tian, is,  his  spiritual  warfare.  The  continual  conflict  which  is 
carried  on  between  grace  and  corruption — between  the  heaven- 
born  principle  of  life  in  the  soul,  and  the  old  nature,  at  length 
terminates  in  the  final  victory  of  grace,  when  justification  is 
complete  and  the  soul  ripe  for  glory. 

Here  we  will  observe,  that  there  is  a  war  between  the  unre- 
newed will,  and  the  enlightened  conscience,  which,  perhaps, 
the  deceived  hypocrite  mistakes  for  conversion.  The  chris- 
tian's warfare  is  essentially  different  from  this.  Many  profess 
Christianity  and  have  no  warfare.  These  are  deceived  hypo- 
crites. 

It  might  be  supposed  from  the  conduct  of  many  professors, 
that  the  greater  part  of  the  divine  law  was  repealed — that  spirit- 
ual pride  and  self-righteousness  were  no  longer  sinful  or  oflen- 
sive  to  God.  And  it  might  well  be  supposed  from  their  con- 
duct, that  pride,  self-righteousness,  and  a  legal  spirit  were  terms 
of  which  they  had  never  heard.  Such  christians  have  all  their 
religion  at  meetings  and  pubhc  assemblies.  They  often  appear 
very  happy,  and  can  pray,  and  rejoice,  and  shout;  but  at  home 
they  neglect  family  and  secret  prayer,  and  spend  many  Sabbaths 
in  vain  conversation.  See  them  at  home  in  the  week — the 
world  has  all  their  thoughts,  and  is  the  only  subject  of  conver- 
sation: when  from  public  worship  you  can  scarce  distinguish 
them  from  the  moral  part  of  the  unconverted  world. 

All  the  spiritual  warfare  of  such  professors  is  not  with  the 
sins  of  their  own  hearts — their  perverse  wills  and  unsanctified 
natures — but  with  the  sins  of  their  neighbors — with  the  princi- 
ples and  conduct  of  those  who  belong  to  other  denominations. 
They  are  never  heard  bewailing  the  desperate  wickedness  of 
their  own  hearts — never  seen  weeping  over  their  hardness  and 
unbelief. 

But  the  living  christian  stands  day  by  day  upon  the  field  of 
battle;  his  worst  enemies  lie  deeply  entrenched  in  his  own 
heart.  The  more  he  beholds  of  the  divine  glory  in  the  face  of 
Jesus — the  more  he  discovers  of  the  purity  and  holiness  of  the 
law  of  God — the  better  does  he  see  the  depravity  of  his  own  na- 
ture. The  blindness  of  his  mind — the  hardness  of  his  heart — 
his  worldly-mindedness  and  unbelief— the  vain  thoughts  and  the 
wandering  imaginations  of  his  heart,  are  by  him  regarded  as 
cruel  enemies,  which  injure  his  peace  and  debar  his  soul  from 


250  THE    WORK    OF    THE    SPIRIT    DISTINGtJISHED 

full  communion  with  his  Heavenly  Father.  Yet,  he  can  appeal 
to  God  in  his  darkest  moments,  that  he  hates  these  things,  and 
thev  are  his  grief  and  burden ;  and  he  feels  that  heaven  would  be 
no  heaven  to  him  unless  delivered  from  all  sin.  Therefore,  the 
death  of  all  sin,  of  every  sin,  is  his  object.  The  employment 
every  day  of  his  life,  is  the  cutting  off  and  plucking  out  his  dear- 
est sins — crucifying  ^Hhejksh  with  the  affections  and  lusts.'''*  He 
has  ten  thousand  times  more  to  do  with  the  secret  and  hidden 
evils  of  his  own  heart,  than  with  the  sins  of  his  neighbors. 
Hence,  he  is  a  christian  in  secret  as  well  as  in  public:  he  has  as 
much  religion  at  home,  as  abroad — in  the  court  yard  or  muster 
field — as  in  the  meeting  house.  Secret  prayer  is  one  of  the 
blessed  means  by  which  he  has  fellowship  with  God,  and  gains 
the  victory  over  the  sinful  propensities  of  his  heart. 

4th.  The  genuine  christian,  as  the  great  Edwards  expresses 
it,  is  a  lamb-like,  dove-like,  Christ-like  creature.  He  possesses 
that  meek,  gentle,  forgiving  spirit,  which  shone  conspicuously 
in  Jesus  Christ.  That  unparalleled  command  of  our  Lord  re- 
corded in  the  iv.  chapter  and  44th  verse  of  Matthew,  express- 
es the  spirit  and  temper  of  his  heaven-born  nature.  "Lore  your 
enemies,  bless  them  that  curse  you,  do  good  to  them  that  hate  you, 
and  pray  for  them  which  despitefully  use  you  and  persecute  you.'''' 
Like  the  dying  martyr  Stephen,  he  can  pity  and  pray  for  his 
worst  enemies — ^his  cruel  persecutors  and  murderers;  and  with 
him  can  cry,  '•^Lord,  lay  not  this  sin  to  their  charge f^  and  with 
our  Lord — ^'■Father  forgive  them,  for  they  know  not  what  they 
do.'' 

5th.  The  true  christian  is  willing  and  obedient.  There  is  no 
known  duty,  which  he  will  habitually  neglect;  no  sin  in  which 
he  can  wilfully  indulge  himself.  He  loves  the  law  of  God,  it  is 
sweet  and  pleasant  to  his  soul.  Christ's  "yoA-e  is  easy,''  and  his 
''^burden  lights"  and  he  feels  it  his  greatest  privilege  to  deny 
himself  the  love  and  practice  of  sin,  secret  as  well  as  open;  to 
prefer  every  known  duty  and  obey  every  command  of  God. 

6th.  He  is  a  heavenly  creature.  His  heart  is  in  heaven  and 
his  affections  are  placed  on  things  divine.  While  his  Lord  is 
at  the  right  hand  of  the  majestj  on  high,  he  feels  himself  a  pil- 
grim and  stranger  here  on  earth.  His  heart  longs  to  be  with 
Jesus — to  dwell  in  his  Father's  house;  for  then  he  will  be  for- 
ever freed  from  sin — from  a  tempting  Devil  and  ensnaring  world 
— when  a  refractory,  a  hard  and  unbelieving  heart  shall  no 
more  mar  his  peace,  throughout  the  endless  ages  of  eternity. 

HL  We  will  endeavor  to  make  some  application.  From 
this  subject  we  may — 

1st.  See  the  danger  of  poor  awakened  souls,  while  out  of 
Christ.  The  Old  Serpent  has  a  thousand  fatal  stratagems,  by 
which  to  cheat  them  out  of  their  salvation;  and  he  leaves  no 


TROM   THAT  OF  THE   DEVIL.  251 

scheme  untried,  no  project  unattenmpted — to  accomplish  his  in- 
fernal purposes.  We  will  mention  a  few  of  these  devices,  by 
which  he  effects  the  soul's  everlasting  ruin.  1st,  the  practice 
which  prevails  in  the  world,  of  pronouncing  all  joy  and  com- 
fort, conversion,  which  follow  conviction.  For  while  the  Old 
Serpent  is  alive,  and  counterfeiting  the  operations  of  the  Spirit 
of  God,  we  have  great  reason  to  fear,  that  instead  of  sound 
conversions,  they  are  fatal  delusions.  2nd,  making  a  Bible  of 
your  experience.  This  is  too  common  in  the  present  day.  It 
opens  a  wide  field  for  the  deceptions  of  the  Devil.  The  lan- 
guage in  the  mouths  of  many  is,  my  experience  is  right.  That 
is  a  good  sermon  which  builds  up  my  experience;  and  hearmg 
it,  I  can  shout  and  be  happy:  but  I  reject  the  sermon,  which 
casts  off  my  experience,  as  false  doctrine.  Then,  poor  soul,  if 
your  experience  should  be  wrong,  you  are  determined  not  to  be 
undeceived.  3rd.  Another  fatal  method  of  deception,  is  that  of 
making  a  Christ  of  your  experience.  Many  there  are  calling 
themselves  christians,  who  neglect  their  duty  and  indulge  them- 
selves in  little  sins;  and  all  their  religion  and  their  Christ,  con- 
sist of  their  first  experience.  It  is  taken  for  granted  that  this 
is  right,  and  never  to  be  further  examined.  4th.  Another  dan- 
gerous means  of  deception,  is,  that  of  prejudice  in  favor  of 
some  beloved  party.  When  the  truth  is  forcibly  and  pointedly 
stated,  many  conceive  that  something  is  leveled  against  their 
party.  Their  pride  is  offended  and  their  resentment  kindled 
against  the  truth;  and  all  is  rejected  as  a  heresy:  and  they  say 
of  the  preacher,  as  Ahab  said  of  the  prophet,  "/ Aa^e  him^  for 
he  doth  not  prophesy  good  concerning  me,  but  evil.'''' 

1st.  From  the  doctrine  in  the  subject,  we  may  discover  that 
it  is  a  nice  thing  to  be  a  christian — that  religion  is  something 
very  different  from  what  mankind  generally  suppose  it  to  be; 
for  it  does  not  consist,  1st,  In  great  awakenings;  for  Judas,  Si- 
mon Magus,  and  Saul  the  king  of  Israel,  had  fearful  terrors 
and  dreadful  times.  They  witnessed  many  declarations  of  the 
truth  of  God,  and  yet  they  went  to  hell  at  last.  I  could  not  give 
you  this  for  religion,  although  a  sound  conversion  is  preceded  by 
solemn  and  soul-piercing  convictions  of  sin.     Nor  does  it  consist, 

2nd.  In  great  flashes  of  joy  and  comfort.  Those  persons 
we  have  mentioned  no  doubt  had  great  joy  and  comfort.  They 
^Hasted  of  the  heavenly  gift  and  were  made  partakers  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,''^  ^Hasted  the  good  word,  of  God  and  the  powers  of  the  world 
to  come.''''  Yet  they  fell  away  until  it  was  impossible  "to  renew 
them  again  unto  repentance.''''  Yet,  notwithstanding  this,  your 
religion  is  worth  nothing  unless  it  is  accompanied  with  joy  and 
peace  in  believing;  yea,joy  that  is  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory. 

3rd.  It  does  not  consist  of  moraUty  and  upright  conduct.  We 
are  told  that  Amaziah,  king  of  Judah,  did  that  which  was  right 

33 


252  THE   WORK    OP  THE  SPIRIT  DISTINGUISHED,  &€. 

in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  but  not  with  a  pure  heart.  The  young 
man  in  the  gospel  declares  his  great  regard  for  the  command- 
ments of  God — ^^AU  these  things  have  I  kept  from  my  youth  up,'''' 
Yet  our  Lord  tells  him  that  he  lacked  one  thing;  and  that  was 
every  thing  of  a  saving  nature.  And  yet,  religion  is  only  a  fable, 
a  vain  fiction,  unless  it  manifests  itself  in  moral  conduct  and 
holy  obedience  to  the  law  of  God. 

4th.  It  does  not  consist  in  the  strictest  attendance  on  all  the 
duties  of  religion,  and  obedience  to  all  the  ordinances  of  God. — 
Recur  to  the  instances  of  the  Pharisees,  and  Paul  in  an  uncon- 
verted state.  See,  also,  the  example  of  the  hypocritical  Jews, 
" They  seek  me  daily ^  and  delight  to  know  my  ways,  as  a  nation 
that  did  righteousness,  and  forsook  not  the  ordinances  of  their 
God;  they  ask  of  me  the  ordinances  of  justice;  they  take  delight 
in  approaching  to  God.''''  And  yet  your  religion  is  not  worth  a 
straw,  unless  it  is  attended  with  the  greatest  delight,  and  unwea- 
ried diligence  in  attending  all  the  duties  and  ordinances  of  God's 
house. 

5th.  Nor  does  it  consist  in  the  highest  grades  of  self-denial: 
not  even  in  suffering  martyrdom  and  death  in  its  most  tremendous 
forms.  The  Assuritans  in  the  second  century,  left  their  families, 
forsook  their  possessions,  and  the  lawful  comforts  of  life,  and 
spent  their  days  in  uninhabited  deserts.  The  Romish  monks 
denied  themselves  the  pleasures  and  comforts  of  human  society. 

Regulus,  the  Roman  General,  rather  than  stain  his  characters 
returns  to  Carthage,  where  he  knew  he  must  endure  a  thousand 
deaths  in  one.  And  yet,  except  you  deny  yourselves,  take  up 
the  cross,  and  follow  Jesus,  and  are  wiHing  to  forsake  father 
and  mother,  and  wives,  and  houses,  and  lands,  and  all  things, 
your  religion  is  vain,  and  you  are  yet  "m  the  gall  of  bitterness 
and  bond  of  iniquity.'''' 

Some  are  now  ready  to  say.  If  religion  is  essentially  diflferent 
from  all  these  things,  in  the  name  of  God,  what  is  religion?  I 
answer,  it  is  a  new  nature;  it  is  the  image  of  Christ,  the  spirit, 
temper  and  disposition  of  Christ. 


SEKMON  XXIV. 


TITE  HOPK  OF  THE   HYPOCRITE. 


*'jp^or  what  is  the  hope  of  the  hypocrite,  though  he  hath  gained^ 
when  God  taketh  away  his  soul  /"'     Job,  xxvii.  8. 


It  is  the  solemn  and  alarming  declaration  of  the  Son  of  God, 
that  '"''Strait  is  the  gate,  and  narrow  is  the  way,  which  leadeth  unto 
life,  and  few  there  be  that  find  it;''''  and  its  truth  is  clearly  proved 
by  obsei  vation  and  plain  matters  of  fact.  There  are  comparative- 
ly only  2,  few  of  the  human  race,  that  profess  the  religion  of  Jesus, 
and  but  a  small  number  of  that /eto  who  are  genuine  christians. 
We  have  know^n  many,  who  stood  like  tall  cedars  in  Zion — 
"whose  evidences  of  conversion  were  so  fair,  that  we  never  sus- 
pected that  they  were  other  than  favorites  of  heaven,  and  heirs 
of  immortal  glory.  But  now  we  have  the  unquestionable  proof 
that  they  were  deceivers  and  hypocrites.  I  allude  especially  to 
some  of  those  who  fell  in  with  the  Shakers. 

But  in  every  age  of  the  church  there  have  been  examples  of 
this  kind — Balaam,  in  language  majestic  and  sublime,  as  that  of 
the  true  prophets,  could  prophecy  concerning  the  beauties  of  the 
Messiah — the  star  that  should  rise  out  of  Jacob — and  of  the  glo- 
ries of  his  mediatorial  kingdom.  Judas,  Simon  Magus,  Demas, 
Hymeneus,  and  Alexander,  carried  about  them  such  a  show  of 
piety  and  holiness,  as  deceived  the  people  of  God — and  even  the 
apostles  themselves.  Yet,  at  last,  it  clearly  appeared  that  they 
were  hypocrites;  and  our  Lord  tells  us  that  in  the  great  day  of 
his  appearing,  many  shall  say  unto  him — '•'•Lord,  Lord,  have  we 
not  prophesied  in  my  name  ?  and  in  thy  name  have  cast  out  devils  ? 
and  in  thy  name  have  done  many  wonderful  works  ?"  But  he  will 
profess  unto  them — "/  never  knew  you;  depart  from  me  ye  that 
work  iniquity."''' 

Is  it  not  possible  that  many  who  now  profess  religion,  and 
whose  sincerity  is  not  suspected,  will  be  brought  to  the  judg- 
ment bar,  weighed  in  the  balances  and  found  wanting?     How 


254  THE    HOPE    or    THE   HYPOCRITE. 

necessary  then,  that  every  one  who  has  had  a  hope  of  salvation, 
should  put  the  matter  to  a  solemn  and  impartial  trial.  An  eternity 
of  heaven  or  hell,  depends  upon  the  faithfulness  of  that  hope.  If 
you  are  hypocrites,  now  is  the  time  to  know  it — on  a  dying  bed, 
or  at  the  bar  of  God,  will  be  too  late.  For,  says  the  text, 
"  What  is  the  hope  of  the  hypocrite,  though  he  hath  gained,  when 
God  taketh  aivay  his  soul?" 

In  these  words  there  are  three  things  which  demand  our  at- 
tention.— 1st.  The  character  mentioned.  The  Hypocrite.  The 
hypocrite,  says  Brown,  is  one  who  like  a  stage  player,  feigns 
himself  to  be  what  he  is  not — assumes  the  appearance  of  reli- 
gion without  possessing  the  reality.  The  word  hypocrite  is  de- 
rived from  hupokrinomai,  a  Greek  verb,  signifying  to  feign,  to 
resemble,  and  applies  to  the  self-deceiver,  who  is  mistaken  with 
regard  to  his  true  state — and  to  him  who  puts  on  the  cloak  of 
religion  to  deceive  the  world,  in  the  estimate  of  his  true  charac- 
ter; for  both  oi  these  resemble  the  christian. 

Some  eminent  divines  have  ranked  all  hypocrites  under  the 
following  classes. — First,  The  designing  hypocrite,  who  as- 
sumes the  plausible  appearance  of  religion  for  selfish  motives, 
and  to  deceive  the  world.  Second,  Tbe  legal  hypocrite,  who 
builds  his  hopes  of  heaven  and  eternal  life,  upon  the  rectitude  of 
his  moral  conduct — upon  the  orthodoxy  of  his  religious  princi- 
ples— and  upon  his  strictness  in  attending  to  the  external  duties, 
and  precepts  of  the  gospel.  Third,  The  Evangelical  hypocrite, 
who  founds  his  expectations  of  glory  and  immortal  blessedness 
upon  the  internal  exercises  of  his  mind — such  as  convictions, 
awakenings,  comforts,  enlargements  and  reformations,  all  of 
which  are  embraced  in  our  definition  of  hypocrite. 

2nd.  The  hope  of  the  hypocrite.  '•^  What  is  the  hope  of  the  hypo- 
crite /"'  Some  wild  delusion — some  phantom  which  he  has  em- 
braced as  Christ,  and  upon  which  he  risks  his  eternal  welfare. 

3rd.  The  fallacy  of  his  hope.  '^What  is  the  hope  of  the  hypocrite 
though  he  hath  gained,  when  God  taketh  away  his  soul  ?"  It  must 
perish — it  will  desert  him  in  death  and  land  his  soul  in  hell. 

In  the  prosecution  of  this  subject,  we  shall  observe  the  follow- 
ing method; 

I.  Give  the  outlines  of  the  character  of  the  hypocrite. 

II.  Point  out  some  of  the  false  foundations  of  his  hope. 

III.  Make  a  few  remarks  upon  the  fallacy  of  his  hope. 
I.  Give  the  outlines  of  the  character  of  the  hypocrite. 

The  hypocrite  is  one  who  is  afraid  to  see  himself  and  know  his 
true  condition.  He  cannot  bear  close  pointed  soul-searching 
preaching;  sych  as  will  search  his  heart  as  with  a  lighted  can- 
dle, and  cause  him  to  see  the  worst  of  his  case.  This  is  evident 
from  the  declaration  of  the  Son  of  God." — ^^This  is  the  condem- 
nation, that  light  is  come  into  the  world,  and  men  loved  darkness 


THE   H0<»E   or   THE   HTPOCRITE.  245 

rather  than  lights  because  their  deeds  were  evil.  For  every  one 
that  doeth  evil  hateth  the  lights  neither  cometh  to  the  light  lest  his 
deeds  should  be  repj'oved.^^  When  the  hope  of  the  hypocrite  is 
surrounded  on  everj  side,  and  begins  to  shake  and  totter,  when 
all  the  secret  dens  of  his  heart  are  uncovered,  and  every  hidden 
deception  brought  to  light,  he  feels  like  the  thief  that  has  stolen 
goods,  and  concealed  them  in  his  house,  when  he  sees  the  offi- 
cer coming  with  a  search  warrant,  with  authority  to  break  every 
lock  and  search  every  secret  place — he  is  afraid  of  the  light  and 
anxiously  desires  to  wrap  himself  in  darkness  and  uncertainty. 

1st.  The  hypocrite's  hope  may  very  properly  be  called  his  Bible 
— at  least  he  uses  it  instead  of  the  Bible — as  the  touchstone  of 
all  practical  and  experimental  doctrines.  By  it  he  tries  every 
soul-searching  sermon.  He  is  much  pleased  with  cold,  formal 
preaching,  or  that  which  is  so  smooth  and  general,  that  it  builds 
up  his  hope.  This  he  calls  the  sweet  gospel,  so  pleasing  and  de- 
lighful;  this  leeds  his  soul. 

But  when  the  doctrine  is  so  close,  pointed  and  searching, 
that  it  tries  and  condemns  his  hope,  then  he  will  say,  if  this  be 
true  I  have  no  religion — I  am  a  poor  deluded  Christless  sinner. 
But  he  condemns  such  preaching  as  too  harsh  and  severe,  and 
declares  that  it  is  law  preaching  and  wrong.  All  the  while  he 
grasps  his  false  hope,  and  feels  that  to  part  with  it  would  be 
like  giving  up  the  ghost. 

2nd.  The  hypocrite  is  always  his  own  advocate;  he  has  a  bet- 
ter opinion  of  his  own  religion  than  any  one  else;  he  strains 
every  power  to  find  arguments  to  prove  himself  a  christian;  he 
hunts  up  every  plausible  text  of  scripture,  and  misconstrues  it 
in  order  to  strengthen  his  hope.  Yea,  never  did  the  in- 
genious attorney,  in  prospect  of  a  large  fee,  and  when  his  hon- 
our was  at  stake,  use  half  the  subtle  arguments  and  false  rea- 
sonings in  a  bad  cause,  as  does  the  hypocrite  to  support  his 
vain  hope,  and  prove  to  himself  that  he  is  a  christian. 

3rd.  If  h&  can  onlygsupport  his  hope,  persuade  himself  that  he 
is  a  christian,  and  make  the  world  think  well  of  him,  little  does 
the  hypocrite  care,  if  the  Devil  has  his  heart.  His  powerful 
struggles  are  not  to  gain  the  victory  over  the  sins  of  his  nature, 
heart  and  life,  and  to  destroy  all  the  evil  propensities  of  his  heart. 
No ;  his  highest  concern  is  to  collect  evidences  to  maintain  his 
hope,  and  prove  him  a  true  believer.  He  has  no  greater  strug- 
gles with  indwelling  sin  than  what  is  necessary  to  patch  up 
something  which  he  calls  his  spiritual  warfare.  One  class  of 
his  sins  he  calls  human  infirmities,  to  which  the  best  of  God's 
children  are  subject.  He  has  for  other  sins,  various  nice, 
smooth  names;  he  styles  worldlymindedness, industry;  Sabbath 
breaking,  works  of  necessity;  lukewarmness  in  religion,  pru- 
dence ;  anger,  malice  and  revenge,  a  manly  spirit,  a  sense  of 


556  THE    HOPE    OF    THE    HYPOCRITE. 

honor,  or  zeal  for  the  truth.  In  a  word,  with  all  his  high  preten- 
sions for  religion,  there  are  some  darling  sins  which  he  embraces 
and  that  bolt  Christ  out  of  his  heart. 

4th.  He  is  a  man  that  wishes  to  be  thooght,  one  of  the  most 
charitable  and  benevolent  in  all  the  earth.  He  embraces  every 
opportunity  to  do  good;  he  relieves  his  fellow  creatures  when 
in  distress.  But  when  he  does  a  charitable  or  benevolent  act, 
he  wishes  all  the  world  to  know  it,  and  at  the  same  time  expects 
and  secretly  wishes  to  be  more  than  overpaid  for  it,  by  the  ac- 
complishment of  some  selfish  object  which  he  has  in  view.  He 
wishes  all  the  world  to  think  him  a  good  hearted  man,  who 
loves  the  human  race ;  but  let  him  be  once  offended,  and  it  will 
be  seen  that  he  has  a  heart  like  the  Devil — a  heart  which  boils 
with  rage,  malice  and  revenge :  and  an  unforgiving  spirit. 

5th.  The  hypocrite  wishes  it  to  be  thought  that  he  has  great 
charity  and  christian  love  for  all  the  people  of  God.  He  de- 
clares that  he  loves  all  christians  without  regard  to  names  or 
sects;  and  in  the  meantime  he  is  secretly  laying  schemes  to 
promote  the  interest  and  advancement  of  his  own  party.  With 
all  his  professions  of  christian  love,  he  feels  in  his  heart  the  ve- 
nom of  the  viper,  and  the  rancor  of  the  Devil  against  those  who 
differ  from  him  in  opinion. 

6th.  He  is  one  who  ever  sounds  the  Pharisee's  trumpet  before 
him — proclaiming  his  great  exercises  — his  great  attainments — and 
his  superior  light', — while  he  looks  down  upon  other  christians 
as  dwarfs  in  religion — as  blind  men  in  a  state  of  darkness.  But 
look  into  his  private  character,  and  you  will  not  discover  any 
remarkable  humility;  you  will  find  about  him  no  evidences  of 
the  heavenly  temper  and  meek  spirit  of  Christ.  Instead  of  the 
humble  spirit  and  teachableness  of  the  child,  so  essential  to  true 
religion,  he  is  filled  with  spiritual  pride,  and  ever  too  wise  to  be 
taught. 

7th.  He  cannot  bear  the  truth,  or  to  see  his  true  situation. — 
Touch  his  religion,  and  it  is  like  pricking  the  sore  backed  horse 
— immediately  he  begins  to  kick  and  spurn  the  truth.  He 
thinks  all  that  is  said,  is  designed  for  him.  Ah,  I  knew  I  was 
meant — I  am  always  singled  out  and  pointed  at.  Then  he  proves 
himself  a  hypocrite.  His  own  spirit,  or  rather  the  spirit  of  the 
Devil  boils  out.  Anger,  malice,  revenge,  and  an  unforgiving, 
irreconcileable  temper,  manifests  itself  for  years. 

8th.  The  hypocrite  has  never  had  the  fallow  ground  of  his 
heart  thoroughly  broken  up:  he  has  never  been  effectually  slain 
by  the  law — and  cut  off"  from  all  dependence  upon  it  as  a  cove- 
nant of  works.  His  nature  has  never  been  entirely  and  effect- 
ually changed.  The  new  creature,  the  life  of  God,  has  never 
existed  in  him.  His  outward  walk  may  be  changed;  he  may 
have  been  the  subject  of  great-awakenings  and  heart-rending 


THE    HOPE    OF   THE    HYPOCRITE.  267 

convictions?  he  may  have  been  filled  with  overpowering  joy 
and  comfort;  he  may  have  unshaken  confidence  too,  that  his  sins 
are  pardoned — that  God  loves  him,  and  that  he  -will  be  forever 
happy:  yet  there  are  some  things  in  religion  which  are  to  him 
dark,  mysterious  and  profound  secrets,  about  which  he  knows 
nothing.  Those  transforming  views  of  Christ,  which  enrapture 
the  soul  with  the  beauty  of  the  divine  attributes — which  break 
and  melt  the  heart — and  sink  the  soul  in  the  dust,  under  the 
most  humbling  sense  of  its  meanness  and  unworthiness.  About 
these  things  the  hypocrite  is  altogether  ignorant.  He  knows 
not  what  it  is  to  be  enraptured  with  the  beauty  of  holiness — 
to  feel  his  heart  enraptured  with  all  the  law  of  God.  He  is  a 
stranger  to  that  humility  which  empties  the  soul  of  pride  and 
brings  him  to  live  like  a  little  child  at  the  feet  of  Jesus,  and 
makes  him  feel  himself  the  least  of  all  saints — the  vilest  wretch 
that  ever  found  mercy — which  makes  him  ever  willing  to  be 
taught. 

II.  Point  out  some  of  the  false  foundations  of  the  hypocrite's 
hope. 

The Jlrst  class  of  hypocrites,  we  shall  notice,  is  the  Christless 
sinner.  View  these  in  every  part  of  their  characters,  and  it  will 
appear  evident  that  they  are  hypocrites.  It  is  true,  they  are 
always  crying  out  against  hypocrites;  they  hate  them  and  fre- 
quently say  of  a  person — He  is  a  d d  hypocrite.     And  yet 

it  is  very  plain  that  it  is  not  hypocrisy  that  they  hate — but  God 
and  religion.  The  conduct  which  they  condemn  in  hypocrites, 
is  just  such  as  they  delight  in,  and  in  the  practice  of  which  they 
live  constantly  and  habitually.  With  great  pleasure  they  dwell 
upon  the  practices  of  hypocrites,  and  will  descend  to  particulars 
and  tell  that  such  a  one  prays  in  his  family — but  cheats  his  neigh- 
bor in  every  bargain  and  frequently  gets  drunk.  Now,  their 
great  object  is  only  to  sink  the  religion  of  Jesus  into  contempt 
and  disgrace.  They  rail  against  the  base  actions  of  hypocrites 
— not  because  they  are  not  so  much  to  be  condemned,  but  to 
make  them  salves  to  their  own  consciences — a  deadly  poison 
with  which  to  kill  all  the  conviction  and  secret  drawings  of  the 
Spirit  of  God — that  may  be  left  to  sleep  on  quietly  and  undis- 
turbed. How  many  unthinking  and  profane  sinners,  by  their 
conduct,  prove  themselves  hypocrites?  They  are  not  the  men 
they  would  wish  the  world  to  think  them.  They  call  them- 
selves gentlemen,  and  would  that  the  world  would  believe  them 
such.  And  when  we  look  at  the  respectable  appearance  of 
their  persons,  and  their  polite  and  affable  address,  they  as  much 
resemble  gentlemen  as  the  hypocrite  does  the  christian.  But 
when  we  take  into  view  their  low  vices,  and  base  contemptible 
practices,  we  conclude  that  they  are  just  as  destitute  of  the  prin- 
ciples of  gentlemen,  as  the  hypocrite  is  of  the  genuine  spirit  of 
Christianity. 


258  THE  HOPE  OF  THK  HYPOCRITE. 

Again,  they  wish  the  world  to  think  them  men  of  truth  and 
strict  honesty:  yet  when  they  trade  with  a  simple  fellow,  who 
knows  little  of  the  real  value  of  property,  how  often  will  they 
sell  him  a  horse  for  a  hundred  dollars  which  is  not  worth  as 
many  cents,  although  at  the  same  time,  wishing  to  be  thought  a 

man  of  truth:  he  will  call  upon  God  to  d n  his  soul  if  he  is  not 

the  best  horse  he  ever  owned,  and  solemnly  protest  that  he  is 
selling  him  very  low — for  fifty  dollars  less  than  he  paid  for  him. 

Now,  I  would  ask,  what  is  the  hope  of  such  hypocrites,  when 
God  taketh  away  their  souls? 

The  second  class  we  will  notice,  are  those  who  build  their 
nopes  of  heaven  upon  their  morality  and  supposed  goodness  of 
heart.  They  are  good  citizens,  obliging  neighbors,  kind  hus- 
bands, dutiful  wives,  indulgent  parents,  and  compassionate  mas- 
ters. They  fulfil  all  their  contracts — they  are  charitable  to  the 
poor — they  would  divide  their  last  loaf  with  their  fellow  men  in 
distress.  But,  say  they,  we  do  not  pray — we  do  not  make  a 
great  noise  about  religion  as  many  hypocrites  do.  Our  hearts 
are  good — we  bear  no  malice  against  any  man — our  minds  are 
at  peace,  when  at  our  daily  labor  or  at  rest:  and  if  we  are  not 
happy  after  death,  God  pity  the  world.  All  such  persons  are 
hypocrites — they  have  formed  a  false  judgment  concerning  their 
situation:  all  their  good  qualities — their  amiable  virtues — only  fit 
them  for  living  in  this  world;  they  are  destitute  of  all  the  quali- 
fications for  happiness  in  the  world  to  come.  The  young  man, 
mentioned  by  the  Evangelist,  had  gone  far  beyond  all  these, 
and  yet  he  lacked  the  grand  and  most  important  of  all  things — 
an  interest  in  Christ.  Many  of  the  heathen,  who  knew  not  God, 
and  had  not  heard  of  heaven,  went  as  far  as  all  these.  What 
will  be  the  hope  of  these  hypocrites  when  God  takes  away  their 
souls? 

The  third  class  of  hypocrites  are  those  who  base  their  hopes 
upon  what  they  call  a  rational  religion,  and  may  with  propriety 
be  called  christianized  deists.  They  profess  to  believe  the  Bible — 
but  they  cannot  bear  its  spirituality.  They  contend  for  the  truth  of 
Christianity — but  sensible  conversion — feeling  the  love  of  God  in 
the  soul,  and  enjoying  the  enlightening  and  sanctifying  influen- 
ces of  the  Holy  Spirit: — these  things  they  term  delusion,  or  the 
effects  of  a  heated  imagination.  They  do  not  wish  to  be  saved 
by  such  a  religion  as  this.  They  prefer  a  religion  rational  and 
philosophical,  that  will  have  little  praying  about  it;  which  will 
take  all  the  carnal  enjoyments,  sinful  pleasures,  and  vain  amuse- 
ments along  with  it — at  least  upon  a  polite  scale.  These  also, 
are  hypocrites.  True,  they  base  their  hopes  for  heaven  upon 
the  christian  religion,  but  reject  all  about  it,  that  is  most  excel- 
lent and  valuable.  And  where  will  they  appear  when  God  tak- 
eth away  their  souls? 


THE    HOPE   OF    THE    HYPOCRITE.  259 

The  fourth  build  their  hope  of  heaven  upon  a  certain  system 
of  principles — or  particular  form  of  doctrines.  This  system  is 
their  Christ — upon  it,  they  trust  their  soul's  salvation.  Hint 
that  their  hope  is  false,  or  differ  from  their  principles,  and  you 
take  a  dog  by  the  toes;  they  begin  to  bite  and  scratch — and  cast 
forth  the  venom  of  the  Old  Serpent. 

Here,  my  brethren,  do  not  mistake  me.  I  by  no  means  pre- 
sume to  reject  creeds  or  confessions  of  faith,  or  forms,  or  sys- 
tems of  sound  doctrine;  for  they  are  frequently  recommended 
by  the  apostle  Paul;  and  Jude  insists  that  we  should  earnestly 
contend  for  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints.  A  system  of 
sound  doctrine  is  as  necessary  to  the  powder  of  religion,  as  the 
body  is  to  the  living  man.  The  soul-damning  evil  is  not  in  having 
creeds  and  confessions,  but  putting  them  in  Christ's  stead.  The 
hypocritical  Presbyterian  makes  a  Christ  of  his  confession  of 
faith — the  forms  and  customs  of  his  forefathers.  He  has  never 
seen  the  spiritual  beauty  of  one  sound  doctrine  contained  in  his 
system;  and  yet  upon  it,  are  built  all  his  hopes.  Like  the  an- 
cient Jews,  who  depended  upon  their  privileges  and  institutions, 
crying,  the  temple  of  the  Lord;  and  we  are  Abraham's  seed; 
we  were  never  in  bondage  to  any  man.  The  hypocritical 
Presbyterian  can  live  prayerless — drink  too  much  whiskey — 
and  cheat  his  neighbor  in  a  bargain:  but — touch  not  his  hope — 
he  will  sting  like  the  viper. 

The  hypocritical  Baptist  makes  a  Savior  of  his  adult  bap- 
tism by  immersion — On  this  are  founded  all  his  hopes  for  salva- 
tion. He  can  live  without  prayer,  profane  the  Sabbath,  and  act 
like  a  man  of  the  world.  But  do  not  touch  his  hope — do  not 
even  hint  that  it  is  false. 

The  Christ  of  the  hypocritical  Methodist,  are  the  doctrines  of 
Wesley  and  Fletcher;  his  perfection,  falling  from  grace — his 
malicious  invectives,  and  unchristian  abuses  of  Calvinism,  toge- 
ther with  the  forms  and  traditions  of  his  church.  Upon  these  he 
rests  his  salvation,  while  he  is  swollen  with  spiritual  pride,  and 
breathes  a  spirit  of  bitterness  and  hatred  against  every  christian 
under  heaven  who  differs  from  him  in  sentiment.  Touch 
his  hope,  his  form  or  his  system,  and  you  have  fallen  in  a  den  of 
rattlesnakes:  anger,  wrath  and  the  fighting  spirit  are  instantly 
shown. 

The  hypocritical  Marshalite's  Christ,  is  in  having  no  system 
at  all;  neither  creed  nor  confession;  and  in  having  the  name  of 
christian:  but  at  the  same  time,  introducing  a  new  creed  and 
confession — bringing  all  the  world  out  from  among  names  and 
parties,  but  in  the  meanwhile,  striving  with  all  his  might,  to  make 
all  of  his  party,  by  boasting  of  astonishing  new  light,  while  his 
hard  spirit  and  enmity  to  the  people  of  God  in  every  christian 
church,  proves  that  he  is  vet  in  darkness,  and  abiding  in  death. 

24 


J60  THE    HOPE    OF    THE    HTPOCRITE. 

Where  will  the  hope  of  such  hypocrites  as  these  be  found  when 
God  takes  away  their  souls? 

The  Jlfth  class,  are  those  who  found  their  hopes  of  eternal  life, 
on  a  strict  compliance  with  all  the  external  precepts  of  the  law 
and  gospel,  or  a  strict  performance  of  all  the  outward  duties  of 
religion.  This  is  their  hope  and  their  salvation.  They  pray  in 
secret  and  keep  up  hereditary  prayer  in  their  families.  They 
observe  the  Sabbath — attend  the  worship  of  God — they  devote 
their  children  to  God  in  baptism — and  sit  down  at  the  commu- 
nion table  from  time  to  time.  But  this  is  all  their  religion. 
They  never  saw  their  lost  state  out  of  Christ — they  never  felt  the 
pardon  of  sin.  Communion  with  God,  and  the  shedding  abroad 
his  love  in  the  soul,  are  to  them,  dark  and  unmeaning  mysteries. 
Like  Paul  in  his  unconverted  state,  they  are  ^^alive  without  the 
law,''''  They  are  Hgnorant  of  God's  law^  and  going  about  to  es- 
tablish their  own  righteousness^  have  not  submitted  themselves  unto 
the  righteousness  of  God.'''' 

The  sixth  class  of  hypocrites,  are  those  who  are  secretly  con- 
vinced that  they  have  not  experienced  a  divine  and  saving 
change.  But  it  is  like  giving  up  the  ghost  to  relinquish  their 
false  hope.  Therefore,  they  ease  their  consciences  with  the 
vain  supposition  that  they  were  sanctified  from  the  womb,  like 
Jeremiah  and  John  the  Baptist;  or  else,  that  the  spiritual  life  has 
grown  up  with  them  indiscoverably,  as  in  the  cases  of  Samuel 
and  young  Timothy.  And  then  they  endeavor  to  lay  conscience 
into  a  deep  sleep.  Say  they,  Jeremiah  and  John  the  Baptist 
were  sanctified  from  the  womb.  If  it  were  once  so,  it  will  be 
so  again;  therefore,  many  now-a-days  are  sanctified  in  the  same 
way. 

To  answer  this  logic,  I  would  reply — The  Bible  no  where 
says  that  such  cases  will  again  occur. — Or,  in  your  own  style — 
Enoch  and  Elijah  went  to  heaven  without  tasting  death.  It  was 
once  so — must  it  be  so  again  ?  Or  are  many  in  the  present  day 
translated  to  heaven  without  seeing  death?  The  patriarch 
Isaac,  and  John  the  Baptist,  were  born  through  supernatural 
agency.  It  was  once  the  case — will  it  be  so  again?  I  appre- 
hend we  have  as  much  reason  to  conclude  that  thousands  now- 
a-days,  are  born  of  parents  ninety  or  a  hundred  years  old,  as  we 
Tiave  to  believe  that  like  numbers  are  sanctified  from  the  womb. 

As  to  Samuel,  he  was  called,  and  young  Timothy  was  acquain- 
ted with  the  scriptures.  But  none  dare  attempt  to  prove  that 
the  work  was  insensible  with  either  of  them.  Indeed,  we  have 
reason  to  believe  that  they  sensibly  felt  and  experienced  the  con- 
victing and  converting  operations  of  the  Spirit  of  God ;  since 
children  at  a  very  early  age  are  the  subjects  of  deep  and  so- 
lemn impressions.     The  hope,  which  has  no  better  foundation 


THE    HOPE   OP   THE    HTPOCRITZ.  261 

than  insensible  religion,  supported  by  these  vain  suppositions,  is 
the  hope  of  the  hypocrite  and  shall  perish. 

But,  say  you,  some  eminent  authors  tell  us  thousands  are  in 
heaven  w^ho  could  neither  tell  the  time,  place,  nor  circumstan- 
ces of  their  conversion. 

However  respectable  such  authors  may  be,  they  never  yet 
showed,  "  Thus  saith  the  hord^''  for  such  assertions.  Search  the 
whole  Book  of  God  from  beginning  to  end,  and  no  such  sentence 
can  be  found. 

But  our  Lord  expressly  informs  us,  that  "TAe  wind  bloweth 
where  it  listeth,  and  thou  hearest  the  sound  thereof,  but  canst  not 
tell  whence  it  cometh,  or  whither  it  goeth,  so  is  every  one  that  is  born 
of  the  Spirit.^'' 

The  seventh  class  of  hypocrites,  are  those  whose  hopes  are 
founded  upon  the  lowest  marks  and  weakest  evidences  of  grace, 
and  yet  they  grasp  their  false  hope  with  death-like  power.  Th^y 
have  had  some  awakenings  of  conscience — some  kind  of  com- 
forts, and  enlargements  in  prayer.  When  they  hear  close  and 
faithful  preaching — when  they  hear  a  faith's  view  of  Christ  de- 
scribed, and  the  exercises  of  the  believing  sinner  in  coming  to 
Jesus  delineated — there  is  a  dark  place  in  their  experience — a 
secret  consciousness  that  all  is  not  well.  But  so  much  are  they 
attached  to  this  hope,  that  to  give  it  up,  is  like  death;  and  thus 
situated,  the  poor  deceived  soul,  tries  a  thousand  expedients  to 
still  conscience  and  keep  all  within  asleep.  He  will  call  him- 
self a  weak  believer — a  babe  in  Christ.  He  will  hunt  all  the 
low  marks  of  grace  and  endeavor  to  apply  them;  such  as  love  to 
the  brethren.  And  he  will  tell  you  that  he  never  had  the  faith  of 
assurance,  but  he  thinks  he  has  that  of  reliance.  During  the 
week  he  will  try  to  patch  up  a  religion  that  seems  pretty  sure ; 
but  when  on  Sabbath  he  hears  another  soul-searching  sermon, 
all  is  rent  and  torn  to  pieces  like  a  tattered  garment.  But  still 
he  cannot  give  up  his  hope.  He  will  recollect  some  passage  in 
some  old  book;  will  bring  up  the  example  of  some  old  regular 
circumspect  formalist;  he  says  thus  and  so;  and  if  there  be  a 
christian  in  the  world,  he  is  one.  He  will  call  to  his  assistance 
some  firm,  smooth  sentences  which  he  has  heard  from  a  carnal 
and  ungodly  preacher;  and  with  such  means  as  these,  he  props 
up  his  hope  for  a  while.  But  again,  when  the  spiritual  minister 
searches  his  hope  to  the  bottom,  a  dark  spot  is  seen,  and  con- 
science whispers — all  is  wrong.  Sometimes  he  is  almost  ready 
to  relinquish  his  hope;  but  when  it  comes  to  the  point,  O,  says 
the  deceitful  heart,  if  you  give  up  your  hope  all  the  world  will 
despise  you  as  a  hypocrite,  and  you  will  sink  into  contempt.  If 
you  let  go  this  hope,  perhaps  you  may  never  obtain  a  better; 
will  then  the  wicked  will  brand  you  as  a  hypocrite ;  christians 
and  despise  you,  and  of  all  creatures  you  will  be  the  most  mise- 


262  THE    HOPE    OF    THE    HVPOCRITE. 

rable.  Here  he  will  attempt  to  throw  around  him  the  veil  of 
uncertainty,  and  hope  for  the  best  as  he  calls  it,  and  thinks  himself  a 
weak  believer.  Shall  not  his  hope  also  perish,  when  God  takes 
away  his  soul? 

The  eighth  class  of  hypocrites,  are  those  who  make  a  Christ, 
or  righteousness  of  their  convictions  and  reformations.  They 
have  been  awakened  to  a  deep  and  awful  sense  of  their  lost  and 
perishing  condition — they  have  applied  themselves  to  the  use  of 
all  the  appointed  means  of  grace — they  have  forsaken  all  their 
gross  out-breaking  sins — cursing,  swearing,  drunkenness,  and 
Sabbath  breaking — they  have  turned  their  backs  upon  cards  and 
dice,  balls  and  merry  frolics — and  now  they  are  sober,  circum- 
spect, praying  persons.  A  surprising  change  is  visible  to  the 
world;  like  Saul,  they  seem  to  be  other  men. 

All  this  while,  they  are  as  destitute  of  a  saving  change,  a  vital 
union  to  Christ,  as  the  dead  body  is  of  a  living  soul.  An  hum- 
bling, alluring  and  transforming  view  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  is  still  a 
dark  secret;  a  profound  mystery,  which  they  cannot  understand. 
And  yet  they  I'est  upon  their  partial  reformations,  and  substitute 
their  external  change  for  Christ;  and  thus  they  venture  into  eter- 
nity. 

A  nintli  class  of  hypocrites  found  their  hopes  upon  their  exer- 
cises. They  substitute  bodily  or  mental  exercises  in  the  room 
of  Christ.  I  care  not  how  great  may  be  the  bodily  or  mental 
agitations,  if  they  spring  from  the  operations  of  the  Spirit.  It  is 
immaterial  how  much  the  strength  of  the  body  is  exhausted — or 
how  much  the  mind  is  agitated;  if  it  be  the  effect  of  rational, 
scriptural  views  of  God  and  divine  things.  No  difference  how 
loud  the  shouts,  if  they  are  produced  by  an  overflowing  flood  of 
heavenly  joys. 

But  when  a  man  relies  upon  his  exercises  and  agitations  for 
salvation — when  he  makes  them  his  Bible  and  draws  from  them 
the  evidences  of  his  hope — and  judges  the  characters  of  his  fel- 
low professors  by  them — it  proves  beyond  a  doubt,  that  his  hopes 
are  hypocritical  and  shall  perish.  The  spiritual  pride,  conceit 
and  contemptuous  disregard  of  the  truths  and  doctrines  of  the 
Bible,  peculiar  to  such  persons,  demonstrate  that  their  hopes  are 
not  founded  upon  Christ  the  rock  of  ages. 

The  tenth  class  of  hypocrites,  are  those  who  build  their  hopes 
of  heaven  upon  enlargements  in  prayer,  and  meltings  of  the 
passions.  They  have  had  deep,  pungent  alarms — they  have 
seen  themselves  on  the  crumbling  precipice  of  an  eternal  hell. 
For  a  while  they  have  forsaken  their  old  sins,  prayed  and  cried 
with  vehemence  and  importunity.  Perhaps  while  praying  in 
secret,  or  hearing  a  solemn  and  affecting  sermon,  their  hearts 
have  been  amazingly  softened — they  were  melted  into  a  flood  of 
tears — and  felt  a  wonderful  flow  of  expressions  in  pouring  out 


THE    HOPE    OF    THE    HYPOCRITE.  263 

their  souls  to  God  in  prayer;  and  at  this  juncture,  all  their  bur- 
den, and  distress  for  sin  left  them.  And  now  they  suppose 
themselves  converted;  when  in  reality  they  have  not  seen  the 
secret  wickedness  and  hidden  enmity  of  their  hearts  against  God. 
Their  souls  have  never  been  ravished  by  a  sight  of  the  beauty  and 
glory  of  the  divine  attributes  shining  in  the  face  of  Jesus.  They 
have  never  had  such  a  discovery  of  sin  as  melted  their  hearts 
with  shame  and  sorrow  and  self-loathing  before  God.  No — to 
this  they  are  strangers.  The  only  foundation  of  their  hope  is, 
their  enlargements  in  prayer,  and  softening  of  the  passions.  And 
hence  when  they  lose  these,  they  are  in  great  distress — they 
seek  for  them  with  importunity.  And  when  they  feel  them 
again,  they  have  found  their  Christ. 

There  is  also  an  eleventh  class  of  hypocrites,  they  found  their 
hopes  upon  some  creature  of  the  imagination,  instead  of  Christ. 
They  also,  have  had  awakenings,  deep  soul-rending  convictions. 
They  were  striving  for  life  and  death  to  enter  the  strait  gate, 
when,  at  length  some  picture  drawn  upon  their  imaginations  pre- 
sented itself.  Perhaps  a  man  suspended  on  a  cross,  dying  in  ag- 
onizing torture.  Says  the  deceived  soul,  I  saw  it  plainly — I  saw 
the  blood  streaming  from  his  side — I  saw  the  nails  in  his  hands 
and  feet;  or,  perhaps,  I  heard  a  voice  speaking,  particularly  say- 
ing, "6e  of  good  cheer,  thy  sins  be  forgiven  thee;''"'  or  a  surprising 
light,  visible  to  my  bodily  eyes,  shone  all  around  me;  or,  a  text  of 
scripture  that  I  never  thought  of  before,  was  thrown  into  my 
mind  and  I  felt  peace  and  joy  and  comfort.  This  is  my  expe- 
rience— this  is  my  conversion — and  this  is  my  hope.  If  this  is 
all,  it  is  the  hypocrite's  hope  and  shall  perish.  How  far  the  im- 
agination may  be  affected  when  the  Holy  Ghost  reveals  the 
spiritual  glories  and  beauties  of  Immanuel  to  the  soul,  I  shall  not 
presume  to  determine;  but  it  is  certain,  that  the  Devil  can  pre- 
sent these  images  to  the  imagination.  He  can  produce  shining 
lights,  sounds  and  audible  voices,  and  can  introduce  texts  of 
scripture  into  the  mind ;  but  unless  you  have  rational,  scriptural 
views  and  discoveries  of  Christ's  person,  glory  and  suitableness, 
revealed  to  your  heart  by  the  agency  of  the  spirit  through  the 
medium  of  the  word,  your  hope  is  that  of  a  hypocrite  and  must 
perish. 

The  twelfth  class  are  those  that  have  embraced  a  false  Christ, 
and  are  deceived  with  a  false  conversion.  Theirs  is  perhaps,  the 
most  critical  and  false  case  this  side  of  hell.  Under  deep,  solemn, 
and  pungent  convictions,  the  soul  is  brought  almost  to  the  new 
birth.  At  this  critical  and  all  important  moment,  the  Devil  trans- 
forms himself  into  an  angel  of  light,  and  as  the  Magicians  in 
Egypt  imitated  the  miracles  of  Moses,  the  Old  Serpent  with  all 
his  infernal  subtlety  counterfeits  the  operations  of  the  Divine 
Spirit,  and  presents  a  phantom  or  charm  to  the  soul  as  like  the 


284  THE    HOPE    OF    THE    HYPOCRITE. 

gospel  discovery  of  Christ,  as  it  is  possible  for  a  deception  to  be 
like  the  reality.  The  poor  soul  embraces  and  mistakes  it  for 
Jesus.  This  is  accompanied  with  a  number  of  counterfeit  evi- 
dences, w^hich  confirm  the  soul's  hope  and  fix  it  immoveable  as 
the  hills.  He  is  filled  with  love  and  gratitude  to  God,  which 
arise  from  selfish  motives,  because  he  thinks  God  loves  him,  has 
pardoned  his  sins,  and  will  take  him  to  heaven.  His  zeal  and 
fortitude  in  the  cause  of  religion  may  equal  and  perhaps  surpass 
that  of  the  genuine  christian;  but  remember,  that  humility,  meek- 
ness,and  self-emptiness,  peculiar  to  the  true  saint,  are  not  found  a- 
bout  him — but  a  proud,  haughty,  untractable  spirit. 

That  delight  in  the  law  of  God — that  breathing  after  holiness, 
and  tenderness  of  conscience  to  every  divine  command — such 
distinguishing  characteristics  of  the  genuine  disciple  of  Jesus — 
are  not  marks  by  which  he  may  be  known.  He  has  still  a  se- 
cret love  to  some  darling  sin,  or  pleasing  idol.  What  is  the  hope 
of  such  hypocrites  as  these  when  God  takes  away  their  souls? 

The  thirteenth  class  of  hypocrites  are  those  who  depend  for 
salvation  and  eternal  life  upon  an  old  experience.  Some  ten,  fif- 
teen or  twenty  years  ago,  the  deceived  soul  had  something  very 
like  an  experience  of  religion — and  so  plausible — so  nearly  re- 
sembling it,  that  it  is  a  difl[icult  matter  to  determine  where  the 
deception  lies.  His  convictions  and  the  exercises  of  his  mind, 
go  hand  in  hand  with  those  of  the  true  believer,  until  within  a 
hair's  breadth  of  accepting  Christ.  When  he  tells  of  his  joys 
and  comforts,  they  are  so  nearly  like  those  of  the  true  believer 
that  it  would  be  impossible  for  the  most  discerning  to  point  out 
the  error.  And  yet  the  whole  is  a  delusion — there  is  no  genuine 
religion  in  it.  It  is  of  this  the  poor  hypocrite  makes  his  Savior, 
while  he  lives  prayerless — profanes  the  Sabbath,  and  practices 
sin.  All  he  can  tell  of  religion  is  his  old  experience.  From  year 
to  year,  he  never  speaks  of  communion  and  intercourse  with  God, 
which  proves  that  his  also  is  the  hope  of  the  hypocrite. 

The  fourteenth  class  consists  of  those  who  are  described  in  the 
Word  of  God  as  stony  ground  hearers.  Look  at  them  in  their 
joys  and  comforts — view  the  apparent  change  in  their  lives — 
their  diligence  and  delight  in  the  duties  of  religion,  and  the  ordi- 
nances of  God's  house,  and  you  cannot  distinguish  them  from  the 
truly  pious.  The  difference  does  not  become  remarkable  until 
the  storms  of  persecution  arise — until  the  temptations,  the  allu- 
ring vanities,  and  pleasures  of  the  world  draw  them  away,  and 
then  it  is  very  obvious  that  all  their  religion  is  but  a  delusion 
and  a  counterfeit.  How  just  the  figure — some  seed  fell  upon  sto- 
ny ground;  this  represents  the  hypocrite;  some  upon  good  ground; 
this  represents  the  christian.  The  seed  sprang  up  on  the  rock, 
and  in  the  deep  rich  soil;  and  the  difference  cannot  be  marked 


THE    HOPE    OF    THE    HYPOCRITE.  166 

until  the  scorching  heat  of  the  sun,  withers  that  which  is  on  the 
stony  ground. 

III.  We  promised  to  make  a  few  remarks  upon  the  fallacy  of 
the  hypocrite's  hope:  ^^What  is  the  hope  of  the  hypocrite,  though 
he  hath  gained,  when  God  taJceth  away  his  soul?''''  It  is  a  vain 
and  illusive  hope  which  must  perish.  In  death  it  deserts  him 
and  leaves  his  soul  to  wail  the  loss  of  all  the  blessedness  of  hea- 
ven. What  signifies  his  having  gained  a  regular  standing  in  the 
church  of  God — what  though  he  hath  gained  great  spiritual  light 
and  knowledge  of  the  things  of  God — what  if  he  can  pray  and 
preach  the  gospel  with  great  popularity — what  if  he  has  gained 
esteem  and  a  leputation,  among  the  pious,  for  his  supposed  virtue 
and  holiness — what  if  he  hath  gained  an  unshaken  confidence  of 
heaven  and  eternal  life :— what  will  all  this  avail  him  when  God 
taketh  away  his  soul,  when  Jehovah's  vengeance  and  fury  and 
indignation  shall  pursue  him  to  the  deepest  vaults  of  hell,  where 
he  shall  ever  feel  his  unmixed  wrath  in  keenest  torment! 


SERMON    XXV. 


THE    DECEITFUJLNESa    OF    THE    HUOIAN     HEART. 

'^>- 

"TAe  heart  is  deceitful  above  all  things,  and  desperately  wick' 
ed;  who  can  know  it  i"'  Jeremiah,  xvii.  9. 


That  the  heart  "w  desperately  wicked"  is  a  truth  confirmed  by 
reason,  experience,  observation,  and  the  word  of  God.  Look 
abroad  upon  the  world  of  mankind,  and  there  you  have  ocular 
demonstration  of  the  fact.  You  may  see  almost  the  whole  of 
the  human  race,  running  heedlessly  to  hell — working  out  their 
damnation  with  diligence  and  industry.  Look  into  your  own 
hearts,  and  if  you  are  not  blinded  by  the  Devil,  you  will  ac- 
knowledge that  they  are  a  fathomless  abyss  of  horrid  wicked- 
ness and  hellish  pollution;  swarming  with  filthy  lusts,  evil  thoughts, 
and  vile  imaginations — a  lodging  for  Devils,  a  haven  for  every 
unclean  thing.  Look  into  God's  word  and  discover  what  testi- 
mony the  Divine  Spirit  gives  concerning  the  human  heart,  and 
his  boundless  wisdom  can  fathom  all  its  infernal  depths.  He 
says,  every  imagination  of  the  thoughts''^  of  the  heart  is  ^^only  evil 
continually,''''  And  in  the  words  of  the  text  he  has  carried  the 
description  of  its  wickedness  and  deceitfulness  as  far  as  the  force 
of  language  could  carry  it. — "TAe  heart  is  deceitful  above  all 
things,  and  desperately  wicked;  who  can  know  it?''"'  As  it  is  evi- 
dent that  the  heart  of  man  is  desperately  wicked — that  previous 
to  regeneration,  it  is  entirely  destitute  of  the  moral  image  of 
God — and  that  the  likeness  of  the  Devil  is  enstamped  upon  it, 
perfect  and  complete  in  all  its  features;  so  also  it  is  ''''deceitful 
above  all  things-"  deceitful  above  all  human  conception — be- 
yond all  comprehension.  To  prove  this  truth  no  subtlety  or  in- 
genuity of  argumentation  is  necessary.  Behold  the  swinish 
drunkard,  the  profane  swearer,  and  debauchee,  who  breathe  the 
air  ofthe  infernal  world,  and  wallow  in  all  the  filth  of  depravi- 
ty, but  yet  hope  for  heaven  and  eternal. happiness,  from  the  pre- 


THE    I>KCEITFULNESS    OF  &C.  267 

tended  goodness  of  their  hearts,  the  honesty  of  their  conduct  and 
their  charities  to  the  poor,  and  the  absolute  mercy  of  God.  See 
the  carnal  formalist,  who  pretends  to  believe  the  truths  of  the 
gospel,  who  may  read  in  his  Bible  every  day,  if  he  chooses,  that 
'•''except  a  man  be  born  again^  he  cannot  seethe  kingdom  of  Godf 
that  "Ae  that  believeth  not"  on  Christ,  '•^must  be  damned;''"  that 
without  genuine  repentance,  he  must  forever  perish;  that 
without  holiness,  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord" — his  conscience 
bearing  him  witness,  that  there  is  something  in  religion  of  which 
he  is  ignorant;  and  that,  he  is  an  entire  stranger  to  an  experi- 
mental work  of  the  Spirit  of  God  upon  his  heart:  yet  calling  himself 
a  christian,  a  weak  believer,  and  entertaining  a  false  hope  of  heav- 
en and  eternal  happiness,  in  spite  of  all  the  close,  particular  and 
soul-searching  marks  and  evidences,  which  God's  words  and  his 
ministers  can  point  out. — These  with  many  other  instances 
which  might  be  mentioned,  afford  the  most  shocking  proofs  of 
the  deceitfulness  of  the  human  heart.  The  language  which  every 
false  hope  of  heaven  loudly  speaks,  is,  "  The  heart  is  deceitful  a- 
hove  all  things,  and  desperately  wicked;  who  can  know  it?" 

The  heart,  literally,  is  the  soul  of  animal  life;  from  which  the 
vital  principle  is  communicated  to  every  part  of  the  body.  In 
this,  and  many  other  passages  of  the  scriptures,  it  is  used  meta- 
phorically. As  the  heart  is  the  spring  of  action  to  the  body — 
the  part  which  first  lives,  and  is  the  last  to  die ;  so  the  soul  is  the 
nobler  part  of  man — the  immortal  part — the  source  of  all  moral 
exercise. — Therefore,  with  all  its  itellectual  powers,  it  is  called 
the  heart;  it  being  to  the  whole  man,  what  the  heart  is  to  the  body. 

In  the  text  two  things  are  predicated  of  the  human  heart — 

1st.  That  it  is  '•''deceitful  above  all  things."  It  is  far  beyond  all 
the  powers  of  thought  or  comprehension,  to  conceive  of  the  in- 
fernal arts,  schemes  and  stratagems,  of  the  heart,  by  which 
Christless  sinners  try  to  betray  their  own  souls  into  the  hands  of 
the  Devil  and  accomplisht  heir  own  damnation,  and  that  too,  in  defi- 
ance of  reason,  conscience,  the  strivings  of  the  Holy^ Spirit,  the 
light  of  divine  revelation,  and  the  prayers,  admonitions  and  warn- 
ings of  God's  ministers  and  people. 

2nd.  That  it  is  ^'•desperately  wicked"  altogether  void  and  desti- 
tute of  every  thing  morally  or  spiritually  good,  and  wholly  in- 
clined to  evil,  depraved  and  devilish  above  all  conception. 

And  then  follows  an  awful  question, "  Who  can  know  it  ?"  This 
is  dreadfully  expressive  of  the  boundless,  unfathomable  depth  of 
the  deceit  and  wickedness  of  the  human  heart — an  abyss  of 
such  boundless  wickedness  and  deceit  which  nothing  less  than 
the  infinite  mind  of  God  can  comprehend. 

In  speaking  upon  this  subject,  we  shall  follow  the  natural  divi- 
sions of  the  text,  and — 

I.  Show  how  the  deceitfulness  of  the  heart  manifests  itself; 

S5 


268  THE    DECEITFULNESS    OF 

II.  Show  in  a  few  particulars,   how  it  discovers  itself  to  be 
desperately  wicked. 

I.  Show   how  the  deceitfulness  of  the  heart  manifests  itself. 
This  it  does — 

1st.  By  forming  excuses  to  hide  the  horrible  malignity  of  sin, 
by  covering  withaharmless  character,  every  damning  sin,  which 
strikes  at  the  very  life  of  the  soul.     The  man  whose   affections 
are  glued  to  the  world,  who  pursues  it  to  the  neglect  of  God  and 
his  soul,  who  can   find  no  time  for  secret  or  family  prayer,  or 
self  examination,  no  time  to  attend  the  preaching  of  the  word,  is 
told  by  his  deceitful  heart,  that  all  this  is  a  proof  of  his  industry 
and  frugality,  and  brings  to  him  scripture  to  prove  it. — If  any 
provide  not  for  his  own^  and  specially  for  those  of  his  own  house,  he 
hath  denied  the  faith  and  is  worse  than  an  infidel.     He  who  neg- 
lects the  worship  of  God  in  his  family,  during  harvest,  hay-time, 
or  when  gathering  his  corn,  is  told  by  his  deceitful  heart,  that 
it  is  as  much  his  duty  to  provide  for  his  family,  as  to  pray  for  his 
salvation;  and  this  eases  his  conscience  at  once.     The  man  who 
drives  his  waggon  on  the  Sabbath  when  upon  a  journey  is  told, 
that  this  is  a  work  of  necessity.  He  must  hasten  home  to  his  fam- 
ily— he  can  be  as  well  exercised  driving  along,  as  lying  by  ex- 
posed to  every  kind  of  company.     He  that  can  sing  a  profane 
song — who  can  fiddle  and  dance  or  open  his  doors  for  dancing 
frolics,  is  kept  easy  by  his  deceitful  heart  whispering,  that  it  is 
an  innocent  diversion  and  harmless  mirth — that  no  person  can 
expect  an  old  head  upon  young   shoulders.     He  who  lives  as 
prayerless  as  a  brute  and  never  bows  his  knee  to  God,   is  told 
by  his  deceitful  heart,  that  he  can  offer  a  few  petitions  after  he 
lies  down  on  his  bed  at  night,  or  before  he  rises  in  the  morning — 
that  he  can  have  as  good  thoughts  in  the  woods,  hunting  his 
horses  or  following  his  plough,  as  if  he  were  upon  his  knees.     If 
he  happens  to  get  drunk  occasionally — if  he  swears  an  oath,  or 
gets  into  a  violent  rage  and  beats  one  of  his  fellow  creatures — 
O,  says  the  deceitful  heart,  that  is  human  infirmity — the  frailty  of 
nature — the  best  men  have  these  failings.  See  what  David  did — 
the  man  after  God's  own   heart — he  killed  a  man  and  took   his 
wife.     This  is  a  worse  thing  than  ever  you  were   guilty  of. 
Keep  yourself  easy — trust  in  God  and  all  will  be  well. 

2nd.  Byformingexcusesfor  the  sinner,  which  prevent  his  seek- 
ing the  salvation  of  his  soul. 

The  deceitful  heart  points  out  to  some,  the  absolute  mercy  of 
God,  and  conceals  his  inflexible  justice,  and  the  strictness  and 
severity  of  the  law.  It  says — it  is  true,  you  cannot  say  you 
have  been  converted — you  never  had  the  faith  of  assurance ;  but 
this  is  all  whim  and  delusion,  about  which  some  hypocrites  and 
enthusiasts  make  a  great  deal  of  noise;  but  you  .are  an  honest 
man — you  never  wronged  your  neighbor   of  a  sixpence — and 


OF   THE    HUMAN    HEART.  269 

you  can  defy  the  world  to  lay  any  thing  mean  and  villainous  to 
your  charge.  If  you  had  but  one  loaf  in  the  world,  you  would 
divide  with  your  friend  in  distress — there  are  thousands  worse 
than  you — if  you  do  not  go  to  heaven,  God  pity  the  world — 
there  will  be  nobody  saved.  And  here  multitudes  rest  easy  and 
secure,  until  death  and  hell  awake  them. 

To  others  the  deceitful  heart  presents  one  soul  damning  sin, 
as  an  excuse  for  another.  Thus,  some  plead  their  ignorance, 
and  use  it  as  an  excuse  for  making  no  vigorous  exertions  about 
their  salvation. — I  am  a  poor,  weak,  ignorant  creature : — I  know 
but  little ;  and  where  little  is  given,  there  will  be  but  little  re- 
quired. Thus,  they  fancy  themselves  secure,  never  considering 
that  their  ignorance  is  their  soul- damning  sin.  ''^This  is  the  con- 
demnation^ that  light  is  come  into  the  world  and  men  loved  dark- 
ness, rather  than  light,  because  their  deeds  were  eviV\  Others  ease 
their  consciences,  by  reflecting  upon  the  wickedness  and  deprav- 
ity of  man  by  nature.  We  are  poor,  weak  creatures — we  can 
do  nothing — we  must  wait  God's  time — he  must  do  all.  Tell 
me,  do  you  believe  what  you  say?     When  is  God's  time? 

The  deceitful  heart  quiets  the  conscience  of  others  by  persuad- 
ing them,  they  are  doing  the  best  they  can.  Says  conscience, 
all  is  not  well  with  you: — if  you  die  in  your  present  state  you 
will  be  damned.  But  says  the  deceitful  heart,  never  fear,  you  do 
the  best  you  can,  and  hope  God  will  accept  the  will  for  the 
deed.  Conscience  says  you  are  an  unconverted  wretch — that 
you  never  felt  the  pangs  of  the  new  birth — but  the  heart  declares, 
that  regeneration  is  all  a  whim  and  delusion:  don't  give  up  your 
hope — you  have  a  little  religion — you  have  a  little  love  to  God — 
a  little  faith — and  some  good  desires:  you  can  shed  a  few  tears 
at  a  sacrament:  conscience  says  you  have  the  witness  within 
you  who  testifies  that  all  is  not  well — there  is  something  in  reli- 
gion which  you  know  nothing  about ;  but  the  heart  again  gives 
the  conscience  ease  by  telling  the  sinner,  that  he  has  some  reli- 
gion, though  not  enough  to  die  with:  but  do  not  disturb  yourself — 
you  will  obtain  enough  before  you  die,  or  may  be  in  the  dying 
hour. 

3rd.  The  heart  manifests  its  deceitfulness  by  influencing  the 
sinner  to  put  the  most  favorable  construction  upon  his  own 
case.  This  is  a  grand  stratagem  of  the  Devil,  by  which  he  baf- 
fles every  conviction,  sears  the  conscience,  and  holds  the  soul 
eftectually  under  his  power  and  dominion.  Light  has  come  into 
the  world  but  men  love  darkness,  and  therefore  will  not  come  to 
the  light,  lest  their  evil  deeds  should  be  discovered,  lest  their  sit- 
uation should  be  presented  to  them,  as  it  really  is.  They  can- 
not bear  that  their  hopes  should  be  tested  to  the  foundation; 
therefore  they  hate  the  soul-searching  preacher  as  they  do  the 
Devil.     Like  Ahab,  when  he  wished  to  be  deceived  by  the  ly- 


270  THE    DECEITFULNESS    OF 

ing  spirit,  in  the  mouth  of  his  false  prophets,  when  told  to  inquire 
at  Micaiah,  the  son  of  Imlah,  whether  he  should  go  to  Ramoth 
Gileadornot.  No,  said  he,  I  hate  him;  I  cannot  bear  him;  for 
he  never  prophesied  good  concerning  me,  but  evil.  In  the  same 
manner  the  deceitful  heart  prepares  the  sinner  before  hand,  and 
gets  him  to  resolve  that  he  will  hold  to  his  false  hopes  to  the  last, 
and  will  not  believe  one  sentence  the  minister  says  concerning 
regeneration  or  heartfelt  religion ;  although  never  so  clearly  or 
forcibly  proven  from  the  word  of  God. 

When  the  preacher  lays  down  the  awakenings,  the  struggles 
and  painful  convictions,  and  the  unspeakable  joys  and  comforts 
of  the  work  of  conversion,  then  the  carnal  sinner  feels  himself 
secretely  condemned.  His  conscience  tells  him  he  knows  noth- 
ing of  such  a  work,  but  it  is  too  humbling  to  the  proud  deceit- 
ful heart  to  yield.  O,  says  the  deceitful  heart,  do  not  give  up 
your  hope — it  is  dreadful  unbelief  to  doubt — do  not  believe  the 
doctrine — if  you  do,  you  will  sink  into  despair.  It  is  the  way 
of  the  preacher  to  be  harsh  and  severe.  A  certain,  noble,  pious 
old  minister,  who  knows  more  Greek  and  Latin  than  he  does, 
never  preaches  up  the  necessity  of  such  things.  You  never 
heard  him  mention  converstion  or  regeneration  in  all  his  ser- 
mons. Do  you  not  remember  having  read  in  an  old  book,  which 
said  a  man  might  have  grace  and  not  know  any  thing  about  it? 
Thus  it  is,  that  conviction  is  effectually  murdered,  and  the  con- 
science lulled  asleep. 

Sometimes  it  happens,  that  the  deceitful  hypocrite  falls  in 
company  with  two  or  three  warm,  lively,  experimental  chris- 
tians, who  have  passed  through  the  struggles  of  the  new  birth 
and  entered  the  strait  gate  of  conversion.  He  hears  them  tell 
their  experience  of  a  work  of  grace,  and  what  they  have  felt 
and  tasted  of  the  love  of  God  in  their  souls.  This  galls  his  con- 
science; it  pains  and  torments  him;  for  all  these  things  seem  so 
dark  and  mysterious  to  him  that  he  can  form  no  idea  of  them. 
Perhaps  some  one  asks  him.  What  has  God  done  for  your  soul? 
Can  you  give  us  a  relation  of  your  conversion?  In  this  situa- 
tion, the  poor  hypocrite  is  confounded;  he  knows  not  what  to 
do,  and  perhaps  with  rage  and  madness  he  answers — This  is 
not  a  fair  question;  it  is  a  profound  secret  which  no  person  has 
a  right  to  know.  Yes,  says  the  deceitful  heart, — it  is  a  secret 
which  ought  not  to  be  discovered  to  the  nearest  friend  on  earth. — 
The  husband  ought  not  to  discover  it  to  the  wife,  nor  the  wife  to 
the  husband.  And  at  the  same  time,  the'poor  hypocrite  knows 
that  he  can  give  no  such  relation — his  conscience  tells  him  that 
he  is  an  entire  stranger  to  spiritual  experience — that  it  is  a  mat- 
ter of  which  he  is  wholly  ignorant. 

Again,  under  an  awakening,  soul-searching  sermon,  his  con- 
science is  dreadfully  disturbed.  Like  Felix  he  is  made  to  trem- 
ble under  the  apprehension  that  all  is  wrong:  is  made  to  cry 


THE    HUMAN    HEART.  171 

out  with  terror,  If  the  doctrine  be  true  I  am  a  hypocrite,  and 
am  undone.  Then  the  Devil  and  his  own  heart  present  to  him 
the  example  of  some  dry  formalist,  whose  life  is  as  blameless  as 
that  of  Paul  before  conversion.  Says  the  deceitful  heart.  Do 
you  not  know  such  a  man,  an  elder  in  the  church — a  man  of  the 
most  blameless  life — a  sensible,  prudent  man?  and  if  there  is  a 
good  man  in  the  world,  I  am  sure  he  is  one.  He  says  he  knows 
nothing  about  conversion — he  never  had  a  sorrowful  hour  for 
sin  in  all  his  life — he  never  shed  a  tear  about  his  soul  since  he 
was  born,  unless  it  was  at  the  time  of  a  sacrament.  He  declares 
he  never  met  with  Christ — he  never  felt  the  pardon  of  sin — and 
he  thinks  all  sensible  exercises  and  experiences  are  delusion. 
This  stifles  conviction  immediately;  for  the  example  of  the  sen- 
sible cunning  hypocrite  has  more  weight  with  him,  than  all  that 
the  evidences  of  God's  word  and  spirit  can  say  to  the  contrary. 
But  if  the  deceived  soul  is  so  tossed  and  tormented  by  awaken- 
ing and  soul-piercing  doctrine,  that  it  can  find  no  rest,  and  must 
be  convinced  that  there  is  a  reality  in  experimental  religion;  then 
his  deceitful  heart  works  him  up  to  believe  that  he  is  possessed 
of  it  already;  but  only  in  a  low  degree.  He  is  persuaded  that 
he  is  a  weak  believer — that  he  has  a  little  grace,  although  he  is 
as  ignorant  as  a  brute  of  the  new  birth.  Though  he  is  conscious 
he  has  never  beheld  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus,  or 
felt  the  pardon  of  sin,  yet  he  has  some  twinges  of  conscience, 
and  some  fears  of  hell,  which  he  calls  sorrow  for  sin,  he  has 
some  good  desires,  which  are  called  the  actings  of  grace;  and 
on  very  solemn  and  affecting  occasions,  he  can  shed  tears, 
though  his  eyes  have  been  dry  all  the  year  before.  This  he 
names  his  religious  comforts.  Thus  he  is  deceived  by  the  Devil 
and  his  own  heart. 

When  the  ministers  of  God  surround  his  hopes  on  every  hand, 
by  incontrovertible  evidence  from  the  scriptures  of  divine  truth 
proving  them  to  be  false — and  when  he  feels  that  they  are  sha- 
ken to  the  foundation  and  conscience  stares  him  in  the  face,  O, 
cries  the  deceitful  heart,  do  not  give  up  your  hope,  you  are  a 
doubting  christian.  The  fault  is  in  the  minister,  and  not  in  you; 
he  places  the  marks  of  genuine  piety  too  high — higher  than  any 
christian  in  our  day  ever  had  them — yes,  higher  than  those  he 
possesses  himself.  Then  the  minister  brings  forward  the  word 
of  God,  and  shews  his  '•''Thus  saith  the  Lord,''''  for  the  evidences 
which  he  has  produced,  and  lets  the  poor  deceived  sinner  see 
that  the  Divine  Spirit  places  the  standard  of  vital  godliness  equal- 
ly as  high  as  the  minister  of  Christ.  He  shows  them  Job  seeing 
God,  beholding  his  glory,  and  abhorring  himself  and  repenting 
in  dust  and  ashes.  He  shows  them  Zechariah's  description  of 
the  humble  penitent  looking  upon  a  pierced  crucified  Jesus,  by 
the  lively  actings  of  asaving  faith,  and  bleeding  and  breaking  un- 


272  THE   DECBITFULNESS    OF 

der  this  view,  until  the  soul  weeps  and  mourns  with  as  sensible 
pain  and  sorrow,  as  even  the  tender  parent  felt  for  the  death  of 
an  only  son.  He  shews  them  David's  soul  panting  for  the  liv- 
ing God,  as  the  hunted  heart  for  the  cooling  water  brooks,  and 
looking  back  to  the  land  of  Jordan,  and  the  Hermonites  and  the 
hill  of  Mizar,  where  he  had  sweet  senses  of  communion  with 
God.  He  shews  him  Paul's  description  of  saving  views  of  Christ, 
such  as  are  peculiar  to  every  christian  in  his  conversion — a  be- 
holding with  open  face,  as  in  a  glass,  the  glory  of  God  in  the 
face  of  Jesus,  until  the  soul  is  transformed  into  the  same  image, 
from  glory  to  glory,  as  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord.  But,  says  the 
.  deceitful  heart,  these  are  the  exercises  of  Job,  David  and  Paul,  who 
were  very  eminent  saints. — It  is  not  every  one  that  is  a  David, 
a  Job  or  a  Paul:  I  know  nothing  about  such  exercises  as  these. 
But,  I  will  not  give  up  my  hope,  for  I  am  a  weak  believer.  I  have 
a  little  grace. 

But  again,  the  deceived  soul  is  attacked  on  every  side,  and  he 
has  to  wrestle  as  for  life  and  death,  to  oppose  conviction,  when 
the  preacher  of  the  gospel  comes  so  close  upon  his  conscience 
and  describes  his  case  so  exactly,  that  he  seems  to  say,  ^^Thou 
art  the  man ^"^  and  he  is  upon  the  point  of  releasing  his  false  hope, 
the  deceitful  heart  cries  out — the  minister's  mind  is  prejudiced 
against  me — he  preaches  at  me  altogether — he  points  at  me  par- 
ticularly. These  are  my  own  hopes,  my  own  thoughts,  and  my 
very  language.  I  know  very  well  he  is  aiming  at  me.  And 
then  prejudice  and  resentment  fill  the  mind;  and  were  the  preach- 
er to  speak  even  with  the  eloquence  of  Gabriel  the  soul  would 
not  be  profited.  Such  is  the  deceitfulness  of  the  human  heart, 
and  especially  in  formal  professors,  that  it  is  almost  impossible 
to  touch  their  consciences  and  shake  their  hopes.  Indeed,  from 
all  appearances,  we  may  rationally  conclude,  that  many  of  them 
have  been  given  up  by  the  Spirit  of  God  to  believe  a  lie,  that 
they  may  be  damned. 

4th.  By  inclining  the  deceived  soul  to  draw  the  most  favor- 
able conclusion  from  his  past  exercises. — By  this  mean. 

First.  The  backslider  who  has  murdered  all  his  convictions 
and  has  settled  upon  the  mere  form  of  religion,  is  held  effectual- 
ly under  the  power  of  the  Devil.  He  has  had  deep  convictions 
and  painful  awakenings  of  conscience.  This  has  induced  him 
to  pray  in  secret  and  in  his  family,  and  to  forsake  the  commiss- 
ion ofall  gross  sins.  This  distress  has  gradually  worn  off  and 
left  him  a  dead  form.  He  has  never  had  one  view  of  the  glory 
of  God  in  Christ;  he  has  never  seen  the  attracting  glory  of  the 
plan  of  redemption;  yet  he  rests  perfectly  secure — and  doctrines 
the  most  spiritual  and  searching  cannot  alarm  him.  He  can 
follow  the  preacher  in  the  description  of  the  law-work,  and  can 
witness  it  in  every  part;  and  although  he  must  stop  there  and 


THE    HUMAN    HEART.  273 

proceed  not  one  step  farther,  and  his  conscience  tellshimheisa 
stranger  to  the  spiritual  views,  and  joys,  and  comforts  of  the 
converted  soul,  yet  the  Devil  and  his  deceitful  heart  persuade 
him,  that  since  he  can  bear  witness  to  a  great  many  things  ne- 
cessary to  conversion,  and  that  there  is  a  wonderful  change 
wrought  in  his  life  and  conduct,  and  therefore,  he  may  hope  for 
the  best,  and  esteem  himself  a  weak  believer. 

Secondly.  The  deceived  sinner,  who  is  resting  upon  false  com- 
forts, flashes  of  joy,  melting  frames,  and  enlargements  in  prayer, 
defends  himself  against  all  convictions.  When  the  evidences  of  the 
christian  are  shewn,  his  marks  are  exhibited  and  his  exercises  are 
described  from  the  clearest  light  of  God's  word,  and  strike  di- 
rectly at  his  hope,  and  conscience  whispers  that  all  is  wrong, 
and  he  has  no  religion,  and  he  is  just  ready  to  give  up  his  hope, 
when  Satan  and  the  deceitful  heart  cry  out,  Be  not  so  hasty — 
you  can  go  with  the  minister  through  all  the  preparatory  work — 
you  have  had  melting  frames  and  great  enlargements;  you  have 
been  relieved  ofallyour  grief  and  distress.  And  thus,  again,  the 
conscience  is  laid  to  rest  in  silence  and  security. 

Thirdly.  By  this  mean,  the  evangelical  /jypocrite  works  him- 
self into  something  which  very  nearly  resembles  every  thing  in 
the  christian's  exercise.  He  has  acquired  a  large  degree  of 
doctrinal  knowledge ;  he  has  had  sharp  and  painful  convictions; 
he  has  felt  something  of  his  dying  need  of  Christ;  he  has  had 
some  transports  of  joy  and  comfort,  which  bear  a  great  resem- 
blance to  the  joy  and  delight  of  the  converted  soul:  he  reads 
much  and  studies  to  improve  in  knowledge;  he  hears  every  part 
of  the  christian  experience,  so  often  related,  and  so  particular- 
ly described,  that  he  understands  it  as  a  science.  And  as  he  has 
some  fears  and  scruples  now  and  then,  and  some  movings  of  the 
passions,  his  deceitful  heart,  induces  him  to  believe,  that  all  this 
is  his  own  exercise,  that  he  has  felt  and  experienced  these  things 
himself. 

But  it  is  impossible  to  describe  the  ten  thousandth  part  of  the 
craft  and  subtlety  of  the  heart,  displayed  in  its  infernal  acts  and 
stratagems,  practiced  for  the  destruction  of  the  poor  sinner. 
The  mind  of  man  cannot  fathom  it,  nor  the  tongues  of  men  or  an- 
gels describe  it;  for,  says  the  Divine  Spirit,  "TF/io  can  know 

itr 

11.  Point  out  a  few  particulars,  from  which  the  great  wicked- 
ness of  the  heart  may  be  discovered.     And — 

1st.  The  heart  is  the  source  from  whence  spring  all  that  wick- 
edness, sin,  and  abomination,  which  are  discoverable  throughout 
our  whole  lives,  either  in  thought,  word  or  action.  So  says  our 
blessed  Lord;  ^' For  from  within,  out  of  the  heart  of  men,  proceed 
evil  thoughts,  adulteries,  fornications,  murders,  thefts,  covetous- 
ness,  ivickedness,  deceit,  lasciviousness,  an  evil  eye,  blasphemy, 
pride,  foolishness.'''' 


274  THE    DECEITFULNBSS    OF 

As  a  single  ray  bears  no  comparison  to  the  vast  quantity  of 
light  emitted  from  the  whole  body  of  the  sun,  so  even  the  most 
flagrant  act  of  v^^ickedness,  of  which  you  have  read  or  heard,  be 
it  murder  or  the  most  shocking  act  of  brutality,  bears  no  pro- 
portion to  the  unfathomable  oceanlike  wickedness  even  of  the 
best  heart  that  now  hears  me.  Yes,  my  brethren,  the  seeds  of 
every  sin,  lie  in  each  one  of  your  hearts.  There  is  nothing  too 
vile  for  the  best  of  you  to  do,  if  you  were  left  to  yourselves — 
were  God  to  withhold  his  restraining  power.  There  is  that  in 
your  hearts  which  would  incline  you  to  the  most  horrible  scenes 
of  wickedness.  You  would  be  liable  to  steal,  to  rob,  to  murder, 
and  run  into  the  most  hellish  crimes;  yea,  to  spread  misery  and 
destruction  among  your  fellow  men,  and  to  imbrue  your  hands 
in  your  own  blood. 

The  heart  will  appear  to  be  desperately  wicked,  if  we  con- 
sider the  testimony  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  who  declares  it  to  be 
enmity  against  God,  and  filled  with  all  possible  hatred  to  the 
holy  nature  and  will  of  God. — "TAe  carnal  mind  is  enmity 
against  God;  for  it  is  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God;  neither  indeed 
can  6e."  ^^  Every  imagination  of  the  thoughts  of  the  heart  is  only  evil 
continually,^^  Inthe  unregenerate sinner, the  enmity  and  opposi- 
tion of  the  heart  to  God  is  perfect  and  universal,  in  the  constitution 
of  the  soul,  in  all  its  active  powers  and  faculties.  By  the  fall  of 
Adam,  the  sinner  lost  all  knowledge  of  God,  and  consequently  all 
love  or  delightin  his  infinitely  glorious  perfections.  He  lost  the 
moral  image  of  God,  which  consisted  in  righteousness  and  true 
holiness  entirely,  and  in  place  of  it  the  image  of  the  Devil  was 
drawn  perfect  and  complete,  the  consequence  of  which,  is  the 
most  horrid  enmity  to  God  and  every  thing  which  bears  his  im- 
age. The  carnal  sinner  boasts  of  his  love  to  God — he  never 
hated  God  in  all  his  life — he  has  always  loved  him  since  he  can 
remember.  Yes,  it  is  very  true  he  loved  some  ideal  God — a 
creature  of  his  own  imagination — entirely  suited  to  the  temper 
and  disposition  of  his  ownheart — a  God  madeof  mercy  altogeth- 
er, or  rather  foolish  fondness  for  his  creatures,  but  as  destitute 
of  holiness,  truth,  and  justice,  as  the  Devil.  A  wooden  god  or  a 
god  of  old  rags  would  be  of  as  much  consequence. 

But  you  hate  the  living  and  true  God  with  perfect  hatred — 
that  Being  whose  very  essence  consists  in  infinite,  eternal  spot- 
less purity,  holiness,  justice,  wisdom,  truth  and  grace — the  God, 
the  Eternal  all,  before  whom  angels,  and  the  spirits  of  the  just 
made  perfect,  sink  into  nothing — whom  all  rational  and  holy  be- 
ings love,  adore  and  worship.  This  is  the  God  whom  you  hate 
and  abhor,  and  your  hatred  and  enmity  against  him  are  mani- 
fested by  your  habitual  aversion  to  his  commands  and  his  author- 
ity, and  by  the  secret  defection  of  your'heart  from  his  will  and  gov- 
ernment.    Witness  your  abhorrence  of  secret  prayer,  and  fam- 


THE    HUMAN    HEART.  276 

ily  prayer — and  were  the  Holy  Spirit  now  to  break  into  your 
heart  with  a  ray  of  divine  light,  and  discover  to  you  the  bottom- 
less abyss  of  wickedness,  concealed  in  your  heart,  you  would 
immediately  feel  the  rage  and  enmity  of  the  Devil  rising  and 
boiling  within  you,  against  God.  Then  you  would  acknowledge 
that  you  possessed  that  hellish  disposition,  which  would  tear  the 
Almighty  from  his  throne,  and  destroy  his  existence,  if  its  pow- 
er were  only  equal  to  its  malignity. 

3rd.  The  heart  will  appear  to  be  ^'•desperately  wicked^''''  if  we 
regard  it  as  the  seat  of  Satan  and  the  throne  of  his  power.  It  is 
the  Devil's  strong  fortress,  by  which  he  holds  the  sinner  in  sub- 
jection. Therefore,  in  scripture  he  is  represented  as  being  arm- 
ed and  having  full  possession  of  the  heart.  So  that  nothing 
less  than  the  infinite  power  of  the  Almighty  God  can  dispossess 
him.  And  never  did  a  valiant  and  experienced  general  display 
half  the  skill  and  ingenuity  in  fortifying  a  castle  or  city,  as  the 
Devil  in  guarding  the  human  heart  against  every  attack  of  the 
word  and  Spirit  of  God.  In  the  first  place,  he  has  it  enclosed  on 
every  side,  with  spiritual  blindness  as  an  impassable  wall.  In 
scripture,  it  is  said,  that  he  ^^hath  blinded  the  7ninds  of  them  which 
believe  not,  lest  the  light  of  the  glorious  gospel  of  Christ,  who  is  the 
image  of  God,  should  shine  into  them.'''' 

By  this  means,  he  keeps  them  blind  to  all  the  attracting  glo- 
ries and  beauties  of  Christ,  of  heaven  and  divine  things;  and, 
blind  to  the  miseries,  dangers  and  horrors,  which  await  them 
while  in  an  unconverted  state,  he  surrounds  them  with  hardness 
of  heart,  as  with  a  cii'cumambient  rock  of  adamant,  so  that  all 
the  curses  and  terrors  of  the  divine  law,  all  the  peals  of  thunder, 
and  streams  of  forked  lightning,  which  flash  from  Mount  Sinai, 
and  all  the  black  clouds  of  wrath  gathering  thick  over  the  sin- 
ner's head,  pregnant  with  storms  of  Almighty  vengeance,  will 
not  startle  or  move  them.  Neither  will  the  overtures  of  divine 
love,  the  tender  calls  of  infinite  mercy,  the  powerful  agonies  and 
dying  groans  of  the  Redeemer,  in  the  smallest  degree,  affect 
him.  To  these  we  may  add  pride,  legality  and  self  conceit, 
which  are  so  many  barriers  that  serve  the  purpose  of  fortifying 
the  heart  and  keeping  his  possession  more  secure.  These  lull 
the  conscience  asleep,  and  repel  the  most  pungent  convictions. 

But  the  last  and  strongest  means  of  fortification,  and  that 
which  most  effectually  keeps  the  sinner  under  his  power,  is  un- 
belief. This,  like  a  mighty  mountain  of  steel  rolled  against  ev- 
ery avenue,  fortifies  the  heart  with  such  impregnable  strength, 
that  nothing  less  than  the  arm  of  Omnipotence  can  possibly 
open  it.  In  this  state  the  Devil  holds  his  palace  and  his  throne 
in  the  human  heart.  It  is  entirely  under  his  power. — It  is  his 
workshop,  where  he  forges  and  invents  the  most  horrid  acts  of 
wickedness — his  magazine  filled  with  evil  thoughts,  filthy  lusts, 

3e 


576  THB   DECEITFULNESS   OF,   &C. 

and  vile  affections,  yea,  every  thing  necessary  to  assist  the  soul 
in  working  out  his  damnation. 

4th.  The  heart  will  appear  desperately  wicked,  if  we  consid- 
er the  tendency  and  consequence  of  its   wickedness,  viz:  the 
final  damnation  of  the  soul.     In  the  word  of  God  we  are  told 
that  sinners  in  the  hardness  and  impenitence  of  their  hearts, 
treasure  up  for  themselves  '•'wrath  against  the  day  of  wrath^  and 
revelation  of  the  righteous  judgment  of  Godf  yea,  every  sinful 
thought,  word  or  action  which  springs  from  the  wicked  heart, 
provides   another   bolt  of  divine  wrath,  which  shall  be  hurled 
against  the  sinner  in  the  day  of  vengeance  and  perdition.     Who 
can  count  all  the  evil  thoughts,  words  and  actions  of  his  whole 
life,  springing  from  the  heart?     As  well  might  you  attempt  the 
enumeration  of  the  particles  of  dust  upon  the  earth.     And  eve- 
ry one  of  these  prepares  a  flaming  bolt  of  burning  wrath,  against 
the  great  day  of  God's  vengeance,  and  the  righteous  revelation 
of  his  judgment.     To  this  may  be  added  the  blood  of  souls 
which  will  be  upon  the  head  of  the  hardened  and  impenitent  sin- 
ner.    The  man  who  raises  a  family  in  vice,  will  very  likely  be 
imitated  by  his  children,  and  their  children  will  follow  the  ex- 
ample of  their  parents.     He  who  denies  the  necessity  of  con- 
version and  regeneration,  his  children  and  their  posterity  will 
be  educated  in  the  same  opinion  and  belief,  and  will  deny  their 
necessity  also.     Thus  the  impenitent  sinner  may  hand  down  a 
bad  example  from  generation  to  generation,  which  may  prove 
the  damnation  of  hundreds.     By  this  mean  a  man  may  be  guilty 
of  the  everlasting  destruction  of  his  posterity,  even  for  twenty 
generations.     Oh !  what  an  immense  amount  of  wrath  must  that 
be,  when  flaming  bolts  of  divine  vengeance  will  be  awarded  as 
the  just  desert  of  every  sin  of  heart  and  life,  and  for  the  murder 
of  all  the  souls  who  have  been  damned  by  his  ungodly  example! 
And  what  is  inconceivably  more  dreadful,  is,  that  punishment 
due  to  the  sin  of  sins — the  slighting  and  despising  of  all  the  over- 
tures of  mercy  will  be  charged  upon  the  dreadful  account.     "/?e 
that  despised  Moses''  law  died  without  mercy  under  two  or  three 
witnesses;  of  how  much  sorer  punishment^  suppose  ye^,  shall  he 
he  thought  worthy^  who  hath  trodden  under  foot  the  Son  of  God, 
and  hath  counted  the  blood  of  the  covenant,  wherewith  he  was  sanc- 
tified, an  unholy  thing,  and  hath  done  despite  unto  the  spirit  of 
grace  i"' 


SERMON  XXVI. 

THE  NEW  BIRTH. 

^Except  a  man  be  born  again,  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God.'''' 
John,  iii,  3. 


In  the  preceding  chapter  we  have  an  account  of  Christ's  go- 
ing up  to  Jerusalem  to  the  feast  of  the  passover,  and  there  per- 
forming many  wonderful  miracles,  which  clearly  proved  the  di- 
vinity of  his  person  and  the  authority  of  his  mission. 

In  the  23rd  verse,  we  are  informed  that  many  believed  in  his 
name  when  they  beheld  the  miracles  which  he  wrought,  and 
among  them,  we  may  safely  reckon  Nicodemus  one,  of  all  oth- 
ers, the  most  unlikely  to  give  credence  to  the  divinity  of  the 
mission  of  Jesus  Christ. — For,  not  many  wise,  not  many  noble  or 
mighty  of  the  earth,  are  called:  God  often  passing  by  such,  and 
choosing  the  vessels  of  his  mercy  from  amongst  the  poor  and  il- 
literate, who  are  esteemed  by  the  great  men  of  this  world,  the 
dregs  of  creation. 

From  these  remarks,  we  would  not  have  it  to  be  inferred  that 
the  wise,  the  noble,  and  the  great,  are  altogether  excluded  from 
the  benefits  of  the  atonement;  for  some  of  these  also  shall  be 
the  eternal  monuments  of  his  mercy  and  free  grace.  The  arm 
of  Omnipotence  is  sufficiently  powerful  to  humble  the  proudest 
hearts  and  induce  them  to  submit  to  the  honorable,  but  yet  hu- 
miliating terms  of  the  gospel.  Nicodemus  was  a  ruler  of  the 
Jews,  a  member  of  their  senate  or  Sanhedrim,  belonging  to  the 
sect  of  Pharisees,  who,  more  than  all  others,  were  remarkable 
for  their  strong  prejudices  against  Christ  and  his  doctrines,  and 
their  devoted  attachment  to  self-righteousness,  and  the  literal 
fulfilment  of  the  law;  therefore,  in  Romans  it  is  said  that  they, 
^^Being  ignorant  of  God's  righteousness  and  going  about  to  es- 
tablish a  righttousness  of  their  own,  have  not  submitted  themselves 
to  the  7-ighteousness  of  God.''''  And  it  is  not  at  all  likely  that 
such  characters,  proud  of  their  knowledge  of  the  law,  and 
swollen  with  worldly  honors,  should  part  with  their  pride  and 


278  THE   NEW   BIRTH. 

relinquish  their  honors  in  obedience  to  the  novel  doctrines  of  an 
illiterate  man. 

Nicodemus  came  to  Jesus  by  night. — The  time  and  manner  of 
his  visit  to  the  Saviour  are  worthy  of  remark.  He  came  by 
night  in  a  secret  and  private  way,  unwilling  we  suppose  to  own 
Christ  and  his  cause  publicly,  like  many  of  the  present  time,  for 
fear  of  the  scorn  and  reproach  of  the  ungodly. — Whereas,  the 
children  of  the  Devil  put  on  their  father's  regimentals  and  boldly 
espouse  his  cause  regardless  of  God  or  man.  His  conversa- 
tion, when  he  had  come  to  Christ,  is  somewhat  strange.  He 
speaks  well  of  him  and  readily  acknowledges  the  divinity  of  his 
mission  and  his  miracles.  '•''And  he  said  unto  him,  Rabbi,  we 
knoiv  that  thou  art  a  teacher  come  from  God;  for  no  man  can  do 
these  miracles  that  thou  doest,  except  God  be  with  him.''''  From 
this  we  may  learn  that  men  may  speak  in  favor  of  Christ  and 
his  cause,  and  discant  largely  upon  many  of  the  important  doc- 
trines of  religion,  while  they  are  entire  strangers  to  the  saving 
change  wi'oughtby  the  Spirit  of  God. 

The  doctrine  of  the  new  birth,  though  so  necessary  to  eter- 
nal life  that  none  can  be  saved  without  it;  yet  the  statesmen 
and  philosophers  of  the  world,  and  formal  professors  who  have 
a  name  to  live  whilst  dead  in  trespasses  and  in  sins,  have  no 
taste  or  relish  for  it.  If  told  that  they  must  be  born  again,  must 
be  made  new  creatures  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  have  a  vital  princi- 
ple of  holiness  implanted  in  their  souls,  they  will  readily  disco- 
ver that,  like  Nicodemus,  they  are  altogether  ignorant  of  it,  or 
that  they  are  deceived — falsely  supposing  themselves  experi- 
mentally and  spiritually  acquainted  with  it,  when  at  the  same 
time  they  indulge  themselves  in  the  practice  and  love  of  sin. 

Nicodemus  frankly  acknowledges  Christ  to  be  a  teacher  sent 
from  God,  but  Jesus  sets  before  him  the  necessity  of  something 
which  he  has  yet  to  learn,  much  more  important  than  the  simple 
confession  of  his  assent  to  the  truth  of  his  mission.  Without 
noticing  what  Nicodemus  had  said,  he  tells  him  at  once  and 
plainly,  '^Except  a  man  be  born  again,  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom 
of  God.'''' — As  if  he  had  said,  your  confession  that  I  am  a  teach- 
er come  from  God,  and  your  acknowledgment  of  my  miraculous 
works,  are  proper  enough,  but  of  minor  importance,  and  deserve 
not  to  be  mentioned  when  I  would  impress  upon  your  mind  this 
great  and  indispensable  truth — "  Ye  must  be  born  again.''"'  Thou 
callest  me  Master,  but  until  thou  art  born  again,  thou  hast  not 
learned  the  first  and  most  important  lesson  which  I  would  teach 
thee. 

The  Saviour  lays  great  stress  upon  the  importance  of  the  new 
birth.  But  how  different  with  many  in  this  age  of  the  gospel 
light,  who  call  themselves  christians,  and  who  rarely  call  in 
question  their  hopes  of  heaven. — They  spend  their  strength  and 


THE    NEW    BIRTH.  279 

time  in  quarreling  with  other  denominations  about  controverted 
points,  and  disputing  about  matters  of  small  concern  to  the  neg- 
lect of  this  great  and  all-important  inquiry. — Am  I  born  again? 
Have  I  been  made  a  new  creature  ?  Is  Christ  formed  within 
my  soul  the  hope  of  glory? 

In  that  awful  day,  when  the  universe,  assembled,  must  appear 
before  the  judge  of  quick  and  dead,  the  question  brethren,  will 
not  be,  Were  you  a  Presbyterian — a  Seceder — a  Covenanter — 
a  Baptist — or  a  Methodist;  but.  Did  you  experience  the  new 
birth?  Did  you  accept  of  Christ  and  his  salvation  as  set  forth 
in  the  gospel? 

My  dear  fellow-creatures,  if  you  would  be  the  followers  of 
Christ,  here  your  religion  must  commence.  You  must  be  re- 
generated before  you  can  live  a  spiritual  life.  If  you  neglect 
this  one  matter,  all  your  endeavors  will  be  vain,  how  strong  so- 
ever your  hopes  of  heaven  may  be.  No  difference  how  fair 
your  profession;  how  upright  your  conduct  and  conversation, 
unless  you  have  been  born  from  on  high,  death  will  rob  you  of 
your  religion,  and  the  wrath  of  God,  like  a  mighty  deluge,  will 
sweep  you  to  the  lowest  hell — For  ^'■Except  a  man  be  born  again 
he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  GodP 

In  these  words,  we  shall  observe.  First,  the  person  speaking. 
The  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  great  God-man,  Mediator,  who  came 
to  work  out  the  salvation  of  guilty  sinners — the  God  of  truth, 
of  unshaken  veracity,  who  declares  eternal  life  attainable  by 
those  alone  who  have  experienced  the  changing  power  of  his 
grace. 

Secondly.  The  subject  spoken  of»  The  new  birth,  a  saving 
change  which  must  be  wrought  in  the  hearts  of  all  who  are 
made  partakers  of  the  heavenly  inheritance;  or  the  implanta- 
tion of  anew  principle  of  spiritual  life  in  the  soul. 

Thirdly.  The  necessity  of  this  change.  ^^Except  a  man  be 
born  again  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God.-^  As  no  man  can 
enter  this  world  but  by  the  natural  birth,  so  no  one  can  ever 
live  to  God  in  this  world,  or  be  admitted  to  the  immediate  vision, 
or  full  fruition  of  him  in  heaven,  unless  he  be  born  of  the  spirit. 

In  the  further  prosecution  of  the  subject  I  shall  endeavor  to 
shew — 

I.  What  is  implied  in  the  phrase,  ^^Born  again,^' 

II.  Some  of  the  properties  of  this  change. 

III.  Some  reasons  from  which  the  necessity  of  it  may  ap- 
pear: and 

IV.  Make  some  improvement  of  the  subject. 

I.  Shew  what  is  implied  in  the  phrase  ^^Born  again.'''' 
By  the  new  birth  or  regeneration,  we  understand  the  implan- 
tation of  a  living  principle  of  grace  in  the  soul,  which,  before 
was  spiritually  dead.     To  be  born  naturally^  man  must  be  con- 


280  rHE    NEW    BIRTH. 

ceived  and  brought  forth:  to  be  born  spiritually,  he  must  be  be- 
gotten of  God.  The  child  experiences  a  wonderful  change 
when  ushered  into  life;  but  that  is  a  much  more  wonderful 
change  which  the  unregenerated  sinner  undergoes  when  trans- 
formed into  the  image  of  God.  Indeed,  it  is  so  powerful  and 
extraordinary,  that  nothing  but  the  Almighty  power  of  Jehovah 
can  effect  it.  In  scripture  it  is  expressed  by  a  "iVew  Creation.'''' 
^^For  ice  are  his  workmanship,  created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good 
works.'''' — By  a  resurrection,  ^^And  you  hath  he  quickened,  who 
were  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins:''"'  by  2i passing  from  death  unto 
life,  and  many  such  metaphors,  which  clearly  prove  that  there  is 
a  distinct  difference  between  the  state  of  grace;  or  spiritual 
life,  and  the  state  of  nature  or  spiritual  death. 

1st.  To  he  horn  again,  implies,  or  perhaps  more  properly  pre- 
supposes, that  he  who  is  born  again  was  before  destitute  of  spir- 
itual life,  and  consequently  dead  in  sin,  lying  under  the  curse  of 
the  law,  and  exposed  to  the  wrath  of  God.  By  nature  this  is 
the  situation  of  all  the  sons  and  daughters  of  Adam,  and  they 
would  ever  thus  remain,  if  the  sovereign  grace  and  rich  mercy 
of  God  had  not  provided  a  way  by  which  they  might  be  plucked 
as  brands  from  the  eternal  burning.  Sinners  in  their  unregen- 
erated state  are  spiritually  dead  in  a  two-fold  sense.  First. 
They  are  utterly  destitute  of  a  living  principle  of  grace,  and 
are  altogether  under  the  government  of  sin.  Their  situation  is 
strikingly  depicted  by  the  prophet  Isaiah — "T/«e  whole  head  is 
sick,  the  whole  heart  is  faint.  From  the  sole  of  the  foot  even  unto 
the  head,  there  is  no  soundness  in  it;  hut  wounds  and  bruises  and 
putrifying  sores;  they  have  not  heen  closed,  neither  mollijied  with 
ointment.''''  Their  understandings  are  so  darkened,  their  eyes 
so  blinded  by  the  God  of  this  world,  that  they  cannot  see  the 
infinite  glories  of  the  Deity,  or  behold  the  heart-ravishing  excel- 
lencies of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  nor  do  they  discover  the  in- 
trinsic vileness  and  destructive  nature  of  sin.  Their  wills  are 
enmity  against  God,  voluntarily  rejecting  his  laws  and  authority, 
and  choosing  to  indulge  the  gratification  of  the  sensual  appetites. 
Their  consciences  defiled  by  dead  works,  and  seared  as  it  were 
with  a  hot  iron,  do  not  speak  for  God  and  declare  to  them  the 
danger  of  living  in  sin.  Their  memories  are  treacherous  and 
apt  to  forget  even  God  himself.  Their  ciffections  are  in  woful 
disorder  and  fixed  upon  sinful  objects.  Their  heai-ts  are  deceit- 
ful ahove  all  things  and  desperately  wicked, — Every  imagination 
of  the  thoughts  of  their  hearts  is  evil,  only  evil,  and  that  contin- 
ually. And  from  the  noxious  abundance  of  wickedness  genera- 
ted in  the  heart,  the  mouth  speaketh,  and  the  actions  flow.  Se- 
condly. They  are  not  only  entirely  destitute  of  a  living  princi- 
ple of  grace  and  under  the  control  of  sin,  but  they  are  under 
the  sentence  of  eternal  condemnation.     "iZe  that  helieveth  on 


THE    NEW    BIRTH.  281 

him  is  not  condemned;  but  he  that  believeth  not  is  condemned  al- 
ready.^^  As  long  as  sinners  are  out  of  Christ  and  remain  stran- 
gers to  the  new  birth,  they  are  obnoxious  to  all  that  wrath  and 
vengeance  denounced  in  the  word  of  God,  to  the  workers  of  in- 
iquity. All  the  perfections  of  Jehovah  are  engaged  for  their 
everlasting  ruin,  so  long  as  they  continue  in  sin.  The  sentence 
of  eternal  death  is  already  passed  against  them,  and  shall  surely 
be  executed  unless  they  be  made  spiritually  alive  by  the  opera- 
tion of  the  Holy  Spirit  and  the  renewing  of  his  grace. 

2nd.  The  phrase  "born  again"  implies  an  irresistible  exer- 
tion of  the  Almighty  power  of  God.  What  power,  save  that 
of  the  Omnipotent,  can  raise  the  dead  or  bring  the  soul  to  love 
what  it  naturally  hates,  or  induce  it  to  hate  what  it  is  naturally 
inclined  to  love?  Such  expressions  are  used  in  scripture  con- 
cerning the  new  birth,  as  make  it  very  certain  that  the  agen- 
cy of  the  Almighty  Spirit  of  God  is  necessary  to  perform  it,  viz. 
that  of  a  creation,  resurrection,  passing  from  death  unto  life,  SfC, 
as  we  have  already  mentioned. 

It  is  also  abundantly  evident  from  those  passages  of  scrip- 
ture, which  ascribe  the  whole  work  to  the  power  of  God. — 
^^No  man  can  come  to  me  except  the  Father,  ivhich  hath  sent  me, 
draw  him,''''  '•'And  what  is  the  exceeding  greatness  of  his  power 
toward  us  who  believe,  according  to  the  working  of  his  mighty 
power,  which  he  wrought  in  Christ  when  he  raised  him  from  the 
dead.'''' 

The  word  of  God  is  frequent  also,  in  its  declarations  respect- 
ing the  helpless  condition  of  sinners  and  their  total  impotency 
to  all  that  is  morally  or  spiritually  good,  declaring  them  ''-Dead 
in  trespasses  and  sins;^''  that  ''Having  the  understanding  darken- 
ed, being  alienated  from  the  life  of  God,  through  the  ignorance 
that  is  in  them,  because  of  the  blindness  of  their  heart:  who  be- 
ing past  feeling  have  given  themselves  over  unto  lasciviousness,  to 
work  all  uncleanness  with  greediness  •'''  "Servants  of  sinf  "En- 
emies to  God  by  wicked  works.''''  "The  carnal  mind  is  enmity 
against  God;  for  it  is  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed 
can  be.'''' 

Now  the  preaching  of  the  gospel,  and  all  the  efforts  which 
creatures  can  use,  could  no  sooner  bring  the  spiritually  blind 
soul  to  perceive  the  moral  excellency  and  beauty  of  the  divine 
perfections,  or  impart  to  the  dead  soul  spiritual  life,  than  they 
could  create  an  universe  or  raise  the  dead.  That  same  om- 
nipotent arm  which  stretched  out  the  heavens  and  laid  the 
foundation  of  the  earth;  the  same  agent  who  spoke  universal 
nature  into  existence,  must  work  this  change,  effect  this  new 
creation,  or  it  never  can  be  done. 

But,  in  order  to  assist  you  to  determine  whether  you  have 
been  the  subject  of  this  change,  I  shall  notice  some  of  the 


282  THE    NEW    BIRTH. 

steps  which  the  spirit  of  God  usually  takes  in  bringing  the  soul 
from  a  state  of  spiritual  death  to  life  and  peace. 

And,  now,  I  beseech  you  carefully  to  attend  and  examine 
yourselves  by  what  you  hear;  for  if  you  are  strangers  to  the 
exercises  which  I  shall  mention,  you  may  be  sure  you  are  stran- 
gers to  the  new  birth,  are  now  out  of  Christ,  and  if  you  contin- 
ue in  this  condition,  you  shall  never  enter  heaven  so  long  as 
the  veracity  of  God  remains  unchanged;  for  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  who  is  the  brightness  of  his  Father's  glory  and  the  ex- 
press image  of  his  person,  hath  declared,  ^'■Except  a  man  he 
horn  again  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God.^^     Then, 

First,  by  the  instrumentality  of  the  word  the  Spirit  flashes 
upon  the  sinner's  mind  a  deep  and  heart-rending  sense  of  his 
sin  and  misery.  This  is  the  first  step  of  the  spirit's  work  in  the 
application  of  the  plan  of  redemption.  ^'•And  when  he  is  come, 
he  will  reprove  the  world  of  sin,  and  of  righteousness,  and  of 
judgment.''''  He  first  convinces  of  sin,  then  of  righteousness; 
for  sinners  will  never  come  to  Christ  or  submit  themselves  to 
God,  until  they  are  heartily  convinced  of  sin;  and  those  who 
have  never  had  the  law  brought  home  to  their  consciences  with 
such  power  as  to  make  them  groan  in  secret,  and  cause  them  to 
spend  many  sorrowful  days  and  sleepless  nights  on  account  of 
sin,  have  never  to  this  day  seen  nor  left  their  need  of  Christ  as 
a  Saviour.  They  are  yet  "m  the  gall  of  bitterness,  and  in  the 
bond  of  iniquity,^'' — '''•dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,''^  exposed  eve- 
ry moment  to  the  vengeance  of  Jehovah. 

When  the  Spirit  of  God  awakens  the  sinners  conscience,  he 
discovers  in  the  glass  of  that  law  which  he  has  so  often  tram- 
pled under  his  {eet,  thousands  of  sins  which,  before,  he  had 
never  considered  as  such,  or  had  regarded  as  very  small  sins. — 
Now  they  are  seen  in  a  very  different  light.  Secret  as  well  as 
open  transgressions  are  arrayed  before  him,  and  that  too,  with 
such  clear  evidence  and  full  conviction,  that  he  is  no  longer 
able  to  defend  himself,  but  stands  speechless  and  condemned 
at  the  bar  of  his  conscience. 

The  soul  being  thus  convinced  of  aggravated  guilt,  conscience 
pronounces  sentence — '•'Cursed  is  every  one  thatcontinneth  not  in 
all  things,  which  are  written  in  the  hook  of  the  law,  to  do  them.'''' 

Secondly.  The  Spirit  gives  the  sinner  a  sense  of  the  dread- 
ful penalty  of  the  lav^r  which  denounces  '•'•Indignation  and  wrath, 
tribulation  and  anguish  upon  every  soul  of  man  that  doeth  eviV 
This  begets  in  the  soul  horrid  fears  of  divine  wrath,  and  he  is 
made  to  feel  himself  a  most  wretched  creature,  justly  deserving 
all  the  miseries  and  bitter  consequences  of  sin  to  be  endured  in 
this  life,  and  all  the  fiery  torments  in  hell,  which  inflexible  jus- 
tice has  prepared  for  the  workers  of  iniquity.  Yea,  this  makes 
him  tremble  to  the  inmost  soul,  and  look  as  if  affrighted  at  the 


THE    NEW    BIRTH.  283 

angry  countenance  of  the  Almighty  God,  whose  commands  he 
has  so  often  violated,  whose  omnipotence  he  has  derided, 
whose  goodness  he  has  despised,  and  whose  grace  he  has  re- 
jected. 

Behold  the  guilty  culprit!  his  conscience  is  awakened  from 
its  slumbers  by  the  thunders  of  Mount  Sinai;  his  heart  is  writh- 
ing with  agony  under  the  apprehension  that  the  wrath  of  God, 
long  delayed,  will  burst  upon  his  head  with  tenfold  vengeance, 
like  the  stormy  tempest  of  the  night,  and  like  a  mighty  deluge 
sweep  his  guilty  soul  to  the  deep  vaults  of  burning  Tophet.  His 
soul  is  now  sorely  crushed  under  the  burden  of  his  enormous 
sins;  his  thoughts  are  full  of  fear  and  astonishment,  as  though 
hell  itself  was  ready  to  seize  upon  him  and  swallow  him  up  in 
its  unfathomable  gulf. 

But  I  shall  not  undertake  to  determine  how  great  a  measure 
of  this  is  poured  out  upon  all  men  in  their  conversion,  or  how 
deep  and  pungent  their  convictions  may  be.  Some,  in  the 
pangs  of  the  new  birth,  have  been  scorched,  as  it  were,  with  the 
very  flames  of  hell,  so  that  they  might  truly  say  with  the  Psalmist, 
^^How  long,  Lord?  wilt  thou  be  angry  forever ?  Shall  thy  jea- 
lousy hum  like  fire?''''  '''God's  wrath  lieth  hard  upon  me,  he  hath 
sorely  affiicted  me."  Others  have  been  brought  savingly  to 
Christ  without  feeling  such  dreadful  horrors.  Yet  all  who  expe- 
rience the  new  birth,  must,  in  a  greater  or  less  degree,  feel  such 
conviction  or  distress  for  sin,  as  will  render  the  Christless  state 
intolerable,  and  effectually  cut  them  off"  from  the  law  as  a  cove- 
nant of  works. 

Thirdly.  The  next  thing  the  Spirit  does  in  producing  this 
change,  is  to  cut  off  the  sinner  from  all  dependence  upon  his 
self-righteousness,  and  bring  him  to  despair  of  obtaining  salva- 
tion by  the  deeds  of  the  law.  •> 

But  sinners  are  so  strongly  attached  to  the  law,  as  a  cove- 
nant of  works,  that  they  will  not  part  with  it  until  it  is  torn  from 
them  by  the  arm  of  God.  They  hold  to  it  as  the  man  held  to 
the  ship:  when  one  hand  was  cut  off,  he  held  with  the  other; 
and  when  that  was  cut  off  also,  he  caught  hold  with  his  teeth. 

Are  they  convinced  that  they  are  debtors  to  the  justice  of 
God,  and  that  continuing  in  sin,  they  must  be  inevitably  de- 
stroyed— yet  they  will  not  be  persuaded  to  part  with  their  own 
righteousness  and  come  to  Christ,  as  miserable,  helpless,  hell- 
deserving  rebels,  begging  alms  at  the  door  of  mercy.  No !  they 
will  rather  fly  to  the  broken  law  and  endeavor  to  clothe  them- 
selves in  their  own  filthy  rags,  which  will  only  serve  as  fuel  for 
the  devouring  wrath  of  God,  and  faggots  to  burn  them  eternally 
in  hell.  When  God,  in  the  day  of  his  power,  designs  to  work  a 
saving  change  upon  the  soul,  he  brings  home  the  law,  by  the 
energy  of  the  Spirit,  in  its  full  extenit  and  spirituality  to  the  cosn^ 

37 


284  THE    NjEVV    BIRTH. 

science,  girding  the  soul  with  the  cords  of  death,  holding  it  to 
the  rigorous  commands  of  perfect  obedience  under  the  penalty 
of  God's  wrath  and  curse.  Thus,  a  greater  degree  of  light  be- 
ing let  into  the  understanding,  the  law  discovers  the  abounding 
of  sin;  corruption  being  thereby  irritated  begins  to  rage  and 
foam  with  hellish  impetuosity.  Thousands  of  abominations  now 
lift  their  heads,  which  the  sinner  never  saw  injiimself  before. — 
Pride,  unbelief,  hardness  of  heart,  legality,  atheism,  enmity 
against  God,  and  blasphemous  thoughts  of  God  and  religion,  rise 
in  his  bosom,  so  that  his  heart  is  a  very  hell  within  him.  Whilst 
he  is  endeavoring  to  cleanse  his  heart  of  these  foul  monsters, 
which  is  not  yet  sprinkled  with  gospel  grace,  those  corruptions 
which  before  lay  quiet  in  the  corners  and  neglected  fly  up  like 
dust.  Or,  like  a  man  mending  a  dam,  while  he  is  repairing 
breaches  and  strengthening  every  part  of  it — behold!  a  mighty 
flood  comes  down  and  overturns  all  his  work,  and  sweeps  all 
before  it,  as  well  that  which  was  newly  laid,  as  that  which  was 
laid  before.  This  was  the  case  with  Paul  before  he  was  brought 
to  close  with  Christ  and  accept  of  salvation  by  free  grace. — 
"jBm^  sin,  taking  occasion  by  the  commandment,  icrought  in  me  all 
manner  of  concupiscence.  For  without  the  law  sin  ivas  dead.  For 
I  was  alive  without  the  law  once;  but  when  the  commandment  came, 
sin  revived,  and  I  died.  And  the  commandment  which  was  or- 
dained to  life,  I  found  to  be  unto  death.''''  ^'For  sin  taking  occa- 
sion by  the  commandment,  deceived  me,  and  by  it,  slew  me.''"'  And 
so  must  every  soul  be  slain  by  the  law,  before  they  will  part 
with  their  self  righteousness,  and  submit  to  the  abasing  terms  of 
the  gospel.  They  must  be  so  deeply  convinced  of  the  large 
and  extensive  demands  of  the  law,  and  their  own  entire  help- 
lessness, wretchedness  and  depravity,  as  will  bring  them  to  de- 
spair of  ever  obtaining  salvation  by  what  they  can  themselves 
do.  They  must  see  that  they  are  pursued  by  the  inflexible  jus- 
tice of  God,  ready  every  moment  to  be  engulfed  in  the  devour- 
ing flames  of  his  wrath;  and,  under  such  views,  they  will  be 
shut  up  to  the  only  possible  method  of  escape,  viz.  by  trusting 
the  sovereign  mercy  of  God:  and  still  be  convinced  that  they 
are  no  more  able  to  come  to  Christ,  or  act  faith  upon  him,  of 
themselves,  than  to  create  a  world,  or  stop  the  sun  in  his  course, 
or  change  the  universal  law  of  nature,  before  they  will  submit 
themselves  to  the  righteousness  of  God  by  faith. 

Fourthly.  In  carrying  on  this  change,  the  Spirit  of  God  gives 
the  soul  a  believing  view  of  the  glory,  suitableness,  willingness, 
and  mediatorial  fullness  of  Christ.  He,  who  first  commanded 
light  to  shine  out  of  darkness,  shines  into  his  benighted  soul, 
communicating  such  a  blaze  of  divine  glory  to  the  understand- 
ing, as  discovers  the  infinite  excellency  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  as  God  is  clothed  with  all  the  boundless  perfections  of 


THE    NEW    BIRTH.  286 

Deity,  and  as  Mediator,  God  and  man,  in  the  same  person, — the 
everlasting  God  united  to  human  nature,  possessing  all  the  ful- 
ness of  the  Godhead  bodily. 

In  him  the  soul  discovers  a  glorious  righteousness  and  complete 
redemption,  exactly  suited  to  the  case  of  such  a  poor  miserable 
bankrupt,  as  it  conceives  itself  to  be; — a  righteousness  so  large 
and  wide,  as  to  answer  all  the  demands  of  the  law  of  God,  and 
satisfy  infinite  justice,  a  righteousness  so  pure,  so  excellent,  that 
the  penetrating  eye  of  the  Eternal  Father,  can  perceive  no  blemish 
in  it.     A  righteousness  by  which  every  soul  that  becomes  inte- 
rested in  it,  is  freed  from  condemnation,  and  at  the  same  time, 
the  honor  of  the  law,  and  all  the  divine  perfections  are  secured. 
In  a  word,  the  soul  beholds  in  Christ  complete  salvation,  pardon 
of  sin,  and  peace  with  God,  quickening,  sanctifying  and  perse- 
vering grace,  and  eternal  life  in  the  immediate  presence  of  God. 
In  short  all  that  a  perishing,  hell-deserving  sinner  can  desire. — 
Oh,  says  the  soul,  such  a  Savior,  and  such  a  salvation,  do  I  need. 
I  feel  myself  a  poor  miserable  bankrupt  overwhelmed  under  the 
weight  of  my  obligations  to  justice,  but  in  Christ  I  see  a  complete 
righteousness,  satisfactory  to  justice,  and  that  too,  offered  to  me 
on  the  most  reasonable  terms — even  without  money  and  with- 
out price.     How  suitable  are  such  terms  to  my  lost  and  perish- 
ing condition !     I  am  polluted,  overspread  with  the  leprosy  of 
sin,  from  the  sole  of  the  foot  even  to  the  crown  of  the  head, 
wounds,  bruises  and  putrifying  sores.     But  the  blood  of  Jesus 
possesses  a  virtue  infinitely  sufficient  to  heal  all  my  diseases  and 
cleanse  my  polluted  soul.     Oh!  what  a  wonderful  person  is 
Christ !     What  love,  compassion  and  grace !  that  he  should  come 
over  such  mountains  of  guilt  and  dreadful  provocations,  to  mani- 
fest the  riches  and  the  glory  of  his  grace  to  me,  who  so  long 
trampled  on  his  laws,  grieved  his  Holy  Spirit,  and  so  often  re- 
jected the  offers  of  his  grace,  while  thousands  were  left  to 
quench  the  motions  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  perish  in  their  sins. 
3rd.  To  be  "born  again"  implies  that  an  universal  change 
takes  place  in  all  the  powers  and  affections  of  the  soul.  Before 
the  new  birth,  all  its  faculties  are  opposed  to  God.     The  under- 
standing, will,  memory,  and  conscience,  are  totally  dej)raved 
and  estranged  from  God.     The   moral   likeness   of  Jehovah, 
which  was  originally  impressed  on  the  heart  of  man,  is  effaced, 
and  the  image  of  the  Devil  enstamped  upon  it.     The  affections 
are  in  sad  disorder. — For  God  who  is  infinitely  glorious  and 
excellent  in  himself,  and  highly  deserving  of  the  supreme  love 
and  adoration  of  every  intelligent  being,  is  the  object  of  the  sin- 
ner's enmity  and  hatred.     God  requires  all  rational  creatures 
to  place  him  above  all  other  objects  in  their  affections;  but  the 
unregenerate  sinner,  not  only  debases  him  to  the  lowest  seat  in 
his  heart,  but  entirely  excludes  him.     The  will  chooses,  and  the 


286  THE   NEW    BIRTH, 

heart  can  participate  in  all  manner  of  wickedness;  and  they 
unite  to  offer  contempt  to  the  Sovereign  Ruler  of  the  Universe. 
Sin,  that  abominable  thing  which  God  hates,  and  which  he  can- 
not look  upon  but  with  abhorrence  and  detestation,  the  mean 
drudgery  of  Satan,  which  degrade  the  human  soul  to  a  level, 
yea,  even  beneath  the  brute  creation,  are  the  darling  objects  of 
the  sinner's  love.  He  holds  fast  his  dear  lusts,  his  idols,  and 
bosom  sins,  although  at  the  peril  of  eternal  damnation. 

But,  in  regeneration  a  happy  change  passes  upon  the  whole 
soul.  The  image  of  Satan  is  defaced,  and  the  likeness  of  God 
is  drawn  anew  upon  the  soul.  The  understanding  that  was 
before  dark  and  blind  as  regards  spiritual  objects,  is  now  enligh- 
tened in  the  Lord.  The  will,  the  memory,  and  conscience,  are 
rendered  subservient  to  the  designs  of  God.  The  affections  are 
also  renewed:  what  the  creature  once  hated,  he  now  loves  su- 
premely, and  what  he  loved  is  now  the  object  of  his  abhorrence. 

But  of  these  we  would  speak  more  particularly. 

In  regeneration  the  will  is  renewed. — " TAi/  people  shall  be 
willing  in  the  day  of  thy  power ^''  When  by  the  agency  of  the 
Spirit,  the  heart  is  opened  to  see  the  beauty  and  amiableness  of 
God's  moral  perfections,  the  glory  and  fitness  of  Christ  in  his 
mediatorial  character,  and  the  hatefulness  of  sin,  the  will  is  pow- 
erfully, yet  rationally  drawn  by  the  almighty  power  of  God,  to 
choose  him  and  delight  supremely  in  him  as  the  soul's  only  satis- 
fying portion  and  exceeding  great  reward.  The  taste  and  rel- 
ish of  the  soul  being  changed,  and  the  enmity  of  the  heart  bro- 
ken, its  inclination  is  towards  God  and  holiness.  The  sweet 
morsel,  sin,  which  was  once  so  greedily  swallowed,  and  embraced 
with  such  camplacency  and  delight,  the  sinner  now  loathes, 
and  is  as  anxious  to  get  clear  of  it,  as  one  who  had  swallowed  a 
cup  of  poison,  and  so  long  as  it  remains  about  him,  he  regards  it 
as  his  sorest  plague  and  heaviest  burden:  and  often  he  is  made 
to  exclaim  with  the  apostle,  ^'O  wretched  man  that  lam !  who  shall 
deliver  me  from  the  body  of  this  death  9''^  To  be  perfectly  free 
from  sin,  and  to  be  conformed  to  the  likeness  of  God  in  holiness,  is 
the  heaven  after  which  the  renewed  will,  longs  and  pants. 

The  memory,  also,  is  renovated  and  strengthened  in  every 
soul  that  is  born  again.  It  is  indeed,  weakened  with  regard  to 
those  things  which  are  not  worthy  to  be  retained  by  it;  for  the 
Saviour  teaches  his  followers  to  forget  [injuries  and  lay  aside  re- 
sentment,— ^^But  I  say  unto  you,  love  your  enemies,  bless  them 
that  curse  you,  do  good,  to  them  that  hate  you,  and  pray  for  them 
that  despitefully  use  you,  and  persecute  you;  that  you  may  be  the 
children  of  your  Father  whichis  in  Heaven.''''  But,  it  is  strength- 
ened with  respect  to  important  matters,  and  strives  to  act  in 
obedience  to  the  wise  man's  directions. — '•'' My  son,  forget  not  my 
law;  but  let  thine  heart  keep  my  commandments.^^     When  divine 


THE    NEW    BIRTH.  287 

truth  is  relished  by  the  soul,  it  is  impressed  powerfully  upon  the 
memory.  Saith  David, "/  loill  never  forget  thy  precepts^  for  with 
them  thou  hast  quickened  me." 

The  conscience  also  partakes  of  this  change.  Though  once 
lulled  to  sleep,  and  seared  as  with  a  hot  iron,  now  sprinkled  with 
the  blood  of  Christ,  it  speaks  faithfully  for  God,  and  brings  the 
soul  carefully  to  examine  what  is  sin  and  what  is  duty.  Like  a 
lamp  trimmed  and  newly  supplied  with  oil,  it  sends  forth  its  light 
into  the  darkest  and  most  secret  corners  of  his  soul,  discovering 
sins  which  the  soul  had  never  before  suspected,  especially  the 
original  corruption  and  depravity  of  our  nature;  that  seed  and 
bitter  root  from  which  all  actual  sin  proceeds.  The  conscience 
now  sleeps  no  more.  It  thunders  its  voice  throughout  the  soul, 
and  drives  the  sinner  from  his  bed  of  sloth.  It  excites  power- 
fully to  obedience  in  things  which  could  not  have  been  perceived 
before.  It  restrains  from  sins  of  which  the  soul  had  no  concep- 
tion. It  urges  the  authority  of  God,  to  which  the  heart  is  now 
reconciled,  and  willingly  acknowledges;  and  engages  the  crea- 
ture to  the  performance  of  duty  at  all  hazards.  The  mind  is  so 
filled  with  the  fear  of  God,  that  the  force  of  the  fear  of  man  is 
broken.  A  sense  of  guilt  and  consciousness  of  past  sin,  harrows 
up  the  soul,  and  fills  it  with  bitter  remorse  and  anguish.  When- 
ever it  reflects  upon  its  sinfulness,  the  wounds  are  opened  afresh; 
and  thus  it  is,  that  the  soul  is  ever  kept  tender  to  a  sense  of  duty 
for  time  to  come—  is  driven  to  Jesus  Christ,  the  only  physician 
who  can  extract  the  sting  of  guilt,  whose  blood  alone  can  purge 
from  all  dead  works. 

The  affections,  too,  feel  this  change.  They  are  rectified  and 
regulated.  First.  They  are  rectified  inasmuch  as  they  are 
placed  upon  proper  objects.  The  regenerate  man's  desires  are 
fixed  upon  God  himself,  and  the  things  above.  He  who  before 
cried  with  the  men  of  the  world,  "TV7io  will  show  us  any  good^'' 
now  joins  with  the  Psalmist,  saying,  ^^Lord,  lift  thou  up  the  light 
of  thy  countenance  upon  us.^^  The  time  was  when  he  saw  no 
beauty  or  comliness  in  Jesus  for  which  he  should  desire  him; 
but  now  Christ  is  the  centre  of  all  his  desires.  He  appears  now 
to  the  eyes  of  his  understanding,  enlightened  by  the  Spirit  of 
God,  to  be  altogether  lovely  excellent  and  precious.  The  main 
stream  of  his  affections  run  towards  God.  He  wishes  to  be  holy, 
as  well  as  happy;  and  would  rather  be  good  than  great.  His 
hopes  were  before  low  and  earthly :  they  are  now  elevated  to 
that  glory  which  shall  be  revealed.  He  entertains  the  hope  of 
eternal  life,  based  upon  the  word  and  promise  of  God,  which, 
like  an  anchor,  stays  and  supports  his  soul  under  the  severest 
trials.  And  as  he  has  this  hope  of  eternal  life  within  him,  even 
Christ  formed  within  him  the  hope  of  glory,  he  labors  to  purify 
himself  even  as  God  is  pure.     He  is  so  transported  with  the  in. 


;288  THE    NEW    BIRTH. 

finite  glory  and  excellency  of  the  Deity,  that  he  can  no  longer 
deny  him  the  throne  of  his  heart.  He  freely  acknoweledges 
him  worthy  of  his  strongest  love,  and  habitually  longs  after  the 
complete  enjoyment  of  him.  '^^•' 

He  loves  the  law  of  God,  though  it  strikes  at  his  beloved  lusts 
and  can  cry,  the  law  is  holy,  and  the  commandment  holy  and 
just,  and  good.  He  loves  the  ordinances  of  God;  those  galleries 
of  grace,  in  which  he  now  and  then  beholds  the  King  in  his 
beauty,  and  the  language  of  his  heart  exclaims.  How  amiable  are 
thy  tabernacles,  O  Lord  God  of  hosts!  My  soul  longeth,  yea,  even 
fainteth,for  the  courts  of  the  Lord;  my  heart  and  my  flesh  crieth 
out  for  the  living  God^^^  And  having  passed  from  death  unto 
life,  he  loves  the  brethren — the  people  of  God.  He  loves  God 
for  himself,  and  what  is  God's  for  his  sake.  Whenever  he  dis- 
covers the  image  of  his  heavenly  Father,  he  loves  it  and  esteems 
those  in  whom  he  sees  it,  his  brethren  and  sisters — the  excellent 
of  the  earth — heirs  of  immortal  life  and  glory.  The  enmity  of 
his  heart  is  turned  against  sin  both  in  himself  and  others.  The 
language  of  every  renewed  heart  is, "/  hate  the  work  of  them  that 
turn  aside,  it  shall  not  cleave  to  me.''"'  Sin  was  once  to  him  the 
fountain  of  pleasure;  he  loved  it  as  his  life,  and  rolled  it  as  a 
sweet  morsel  under  his  tongue.  But  now  he  views  it  in  its 
abommable,  cursed  nature,  intrinsically  base  and  directly  op- 
posed to  God;  and  to  be  freed  from  it  is  his  continual  prayer. 

Secondly.     In  regeneration  the  affections  are  not  only  recti- 
fied and  placed  upon  proper  objects,  but  they  are  also  regulated. 

Our  affections,  when  fixed  on  the  creature,  are  naturally  ex- 
travagant. When  we  joy  in  it,  we  are  apt  to  joy  overmuch; 
and  when  we  sorrow,  we  are  apt  to  sorrow  to  excess.  But 
grace  bridles  these  affections  and  keeps  them  in  proper  bounds. 
It  makes  a  man  hate  his  father  and  mother,  his  wife  and  children, 
comparatively;  that  is,  to  love  them  less  than  he  loves  God.  It 
also  sanctifies  the  lawful  affections,  making  them  to  flow  from 
proper  principles,  and  directing  them  to  right  ends.  There  may 
be  an  impious  love  and  an  holy  desire  after  Christ  and  his  grace; 
as  when  men  seek  Christ  not  from  any  view  of  his  personal  glory 
or  heart-ravishing  beauty,  or  any  desire  after  him  as  a  Saviour 
from  sin,  but  only  from  a  principle  of  self-love  or  self-preserva- 
tion, because  they  wish  to  be  delivered  from  wrath  and  hell. 
There  may  be,  also,  an  unsanctified  sorrow  for  sin — not  on  ac- 
count of  its  ungodly  nature,  but  because  of  its  bitter  consequen- 
ces— the  torments  of  hell. 

Thus  Cain,  Esau  and  Judas,  with  thousands  of  ungodly  sinners, 
had  dreadful  fears  of  hell,  with  heart-cutting  grief  for  sin,  and 
yet  remained  in  the  gall  ol  bitterness  and  bond  of  iniquity.  A 
man  may  love  his  father  and  mother  merely  from  instinct,  with- 
out any  respect  to  God's  command  binding  him  to  do  so.     Grace 


THE    NEW    BIRTH.  289 

sanctifies  the  affections  in  such  cases,  causing  them  to  flow  in  a 
new  channel  of  love  to  God,  respect  to  his  commands,  and  re- 
gard to  his  glory.  When  the  aflections  are  too  low,  grace  ele- 
vates them,  and  gives  their  throne  to  God,  pulling  down  all  rivals, 
whether  persons  or  things  and  places  them  at  his  feet.  It  fixes 
the  affections  so  firmly  upon  God,  that  the  creature  is  disposed  at 
his  command,  to  quit  all  things  else,  for  the  sake  of  Christ,  to  de- 
sert father  and  mother,  the  dearest  relatives  and  enjoyments,  if 
duty  calls  him.  It  makes  even  lawful  enjoyments  like  Joseph's 
mantle  to  hang  loose  about  him,  that  he  may  easily  let  them  go, 
when  in  hazard  of  being  ensnared  by  holding  them. 

4th.  There  is  a  change  made  upon  the  body  and  the  members 
thereof,  as  respects  their  use,  when  the  soul  is  regenerated. 
'^Know  ye  not,  that  your  bodies  are  the  members  of  Christ  ?"  ^'Know 
ye  not  that  your  body  is  the  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  is  in 
you,  which  ye  have  of  God,  and  ye  are  not  your  own  ?  For  ye  are 
bought  loith  a  price:  therefore  glorify  God  m  yoiir  body,  and  in 
your  spirit  which  are  (roc^'^."  Here  we  see  what  a  surprising 
change  is  effected  by  regenerating  grace.  The  body,  which 
was  before  an  instrument  in  the  hand  of  the  Devil  to  execute  his 
commands,  and  perpetrate  the  most  horrid  acts  of  rebellion 
against  God,  now  becomes  the  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  The 
members  which  were  before  instruments  of  unrighteousness  un- 
to sin,  are  appropriated  to  holy  purposes.  The  eye,  which  con- 
veyed sinful  imaginations  to  the  heart,  is  now  under  a  covenant, 
employed  in  beholding  the  visible  Works  of  the  invisible  God, 
which  declare  his  eternal  power,  and  manifest  his  glory  to  his 
intelligent  creatures.  The  ear,  which  v/as  the  porter  of  death, 
giving  sin  a  ready  admittance  into  the  soul,  becomes  the  gate  of 
life,  through  which  the  word  reaches  the  heart.  The  tongue 
which  used  to  set  on  fire  the  whole  course  of  nature,  and  was 
employed  in  vain,  unprofitable  conversation  about  things  pleas- 
ing to  the  carnal  mind,  qr  in  blaspheming  the  dread  name  of  Je- 
hovah, is  now  engaged  in  glorifying  his  name  and  setting  forth 
his  praise.  In  short,  there  is  a  powerful  and  universal  change 
wrought  upon  the  whole  man,  soul  and  body. 

Here  I  might  descant  largely  upon  a  change  in  the  company 
he  keeps,  in  his  conversation,  in  his  discharge  of  all  the  duties 
of  life,  in  his  motives  and  objects;  but  these,  for  the  present, 
must  be  passed  by. 

11.  We  promised  in  the  second  place,  to  show  some  of  the 
pijoperties  of  this  change.  This  I  must  leave  for  another  op- 
portunity, and  shall  now  conclude,  with  some  improvement  of 
what  has  been  said. 

1  St.  This  doctrine  may  be  improved  to  the  conviction  of  all 
unconverted  sinners- 


290  THE    NEW    BIRTH. 

The  large  majority  of  those  who  hear  the  gospel  and  live  in 
the  church,  are  strangers  to  the  new  birth,  dead  in  trespasses 
and  sins,  and  exposed  to  the  heavy  vengeance  of  an  incensed 
God.  Christ  himself  tells  us,  that  '"'"many  are  called  hut  few  are 
chosen  f  and  elsewhere,  '•^Enter  ye  in  at  the  strait  gate ;  for  wide 
is  the  gate  and  broad  is  the  way^  that  leadeth  to  destruction^  and 
many  there  be  which  go  in  thereat;  because  strait  is  the  gate  and 
narrow  is  the  way  which  leadeth  unto  life;  and  few  there  be  that 
jind  it.''"'  Now  if  it  be  so,  that  but  few  find  the  narrow  way  that 
leadeth  unto  life,  and  the  greater  part  of  mankind  travels  the 
broad  road  to  destruction,  is  it  not  a  matter  of  the  last  impor- 
tance, for  each  of  us  to  know  in  which  of  these  roads  we  are 
walking?  Are  we  born  again,  and  have  we  Christ  formed  in  us 
the  hope  of  glory?  or,  are  we  yet  in  our  sins,  and  in  danger 
every  moment  of  being  plunged  into  everlasting  burnings? 

Every  soul  of  us,  here  to-day,  is  traveling  on  one  of  these 
roads,  and  ere  long  heaven  and  hell  will  make  the  final  separa- 
tion. 

When  Xerxes,  the  king  of  Persia,  beheld  the  millions  who 
composed  his  army,  he  sat  down  and  wept,  because  in  one  hun- 
dred years  not  one  of  so  great  a  multitude  would  survive.  Bu 
much  greater  cause  have  ministers  of  the  gospel  to  weep  and 
mourn,  for,  in  the  space  of  an  hundred  years,  the  greater  part  of 
all  the  congregations  to  whom  they  are  now  delivering  the  mes- 
sage of  God,  will  be  howling  with  the  damned  in  hell,  and  be 
eternally  out  of  the  reach  of  mercy.  As  sure  as  you  live  and 
die  strangers  to  the  new  birth,  you  shall  perish  forever:  for  saith 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  compassionate  friend  of  sinners,  and 
only  living  and  true  God,  ^'•Except  a  man  be  born  again  he  can- 
not see  the  kingdom  of  God.'''' 

Now,  my  dear  friends,  I  entreat  you  by  all  the  joys  of  heaven; 
by  all  that  bliss  which  the  redeemed  enjoy  in  the  presence  of 
God — by  all  the  bitter  reflections  of  an  accusing  conscience,  the 
fears  and  dread  of  future  wrath,  which  you  shall  feel  in  a  dying 
hour,  if  strangers  to  Christ — by  all  the  torments  of  hell — by  all 
the  woes  which  infinite  justice  has  prepared  for  Devils  and  damn- 
ed ghosts  of  Adam's  race — that  you  seriously  examine  your- 
selves, whilst  in  the  name  of  the  dreadful  God,  at  whose  bar  you 
and  I  will  soon  appear,  I  propose  the  following  questions  to  your 
consciences. 

1st.  Were  you  ever  convinced  that  you  were  spiritually  dead? 
that  you  were  in  a  Christless  state?  Did  a  sense  of  this  give  you 
deep  distress  and  heartfelt  sorrow  on  account  of  sin  ? 

Now  if  your  consciences  declare  that  you  never  had  any 
such  sense  of  sin  as  gave  you  heart-rending  pain  and  anguish, 
made  you  lament  and  mourn  and  deeply  bewail  your  wretched 
and  deplorable  situation — beyond  all  doubt  you  are  at  this  mo- 


THE    NEW    BIRTH.  29  1 

ment  destitute  of  living  religion.  You  have  never  come  to 
Christ,  and  are  yet  obnoxious  to  eternal  death.  What  a  dismal 
state !  Every  morning  that  you  rise  from  sleep,  God's  curse  is 
upon  you.  Every  night  when  you  lie  down  upon  your  bed,  you 
go  to  rest  with  his  heavy  curse  upon  you.  Your  food,  your 
clothing,  your  houses  and  lands,  and  all  your  enjoyments  are 
cursed  of  God.  The  artillery  of  heaven  is  leveled  against  you, 
and  all  the  infinite  perfections  of  that  God,  who,  by  a  word  of 
his  almighty  power,  brought  all  the  universe  into  existence,  are 
engaged  to  make  you  eternally  and  completely  miserable,  if  you 
continue  to  reject  Christ,  and  live  in  the  practice  of  sin.  And 
can  you  be  easy  in  this  situation?  Oh,  what  madness  and  em- 
phatic folly  to  be  careless  and  unconcerned,  as  though  assured 
that  all  was  well!  when  at  the  same  time,  conscience  tells  you 
that  you  have  never  taken  the  first  step  towards  reconciliation 
to  God.  You  have  never  had  one  sad  day  or  gloomy  night  on 
account  of  sin,  during  your  lives;  and  yet  you  hope  to  go  to  hea- 
ven !  This  is  the  hypocrite's  hope  and  shall  perish.  Unless  you 
are  truly  sorry  for  sin  and  feel  the  pangs  of  the  new  birth,  you 
shall  never  set  foot  in  the  paradise  of  God.  The  morally  unclean 
can  never  dwell  in  the  New  Jerusalem.  Perhaps  some  of  you 
are  putting  otF  this  important  matter  to  a  future  time.  You  con- 
fess that  you  are  not  '•''born  again,''^  but  hope  that  sometime  hence 
you  will  get  better  and  repent,  and  become  new  creatures.  But, 
poor  sinner,  what  if  you  should  die  and  be  damned  before  that 
time  comes?  Delays  in  all  cases  are  dangerous,  but  they  are 
particularly  dangerous  when  your  immortal  souls  are  concerned. 
"T^b  to  them  that  are  at  ease  in  Zion,  that  put  far  away  the  evil 
day.''''  But  if  you  have  been  convinced  of  sin,  and  have  felt  sor- 
rowful because  of  it,  tell  me, 

2iid.  Were  your  convictions  so  deep  and  piercing  as  to  make 
a  Christless  state  utterly  intolerable?  Unless  they  have  gone 
thus  far  they  have  not  proved  effectual. 

Cain  had  great  horrors  of  conscience  and  deep  convictions 
of  sin,  yet  he  wore  them  off  by  persevering  in  wickedness. — 
Felix  trembled  while  Paul  '-'•Reasoned  of  righteousness,  temper- 
ance and  judgment  to  come^''  but  yet  he  told  him,  "G^o  thy  way 
for  this  time,  when  I  have  a  more  convenient  season  I  ivill  call  for 
thee;''''  and  we  hear  no  more  of  his  convictions.  And  I  doubt 
not  that  there  are  thousands  in  hell,  burning  in  the  flames  of 
God's  vengeance,  who  have  murdered  their  convictions  and  sti- 
fled the  voice  of  conscience  in  the  same  manner.  Unless  your 
conviction  has  been  so  distressing  that  you  could  not  possibly 
live  without  Christ  and  an  interest  in  his  salvation,  you  may 
rest  assured  that  you  have  never  come  to  Christ.  So  strong  is 
the  enmity  of  the  sinner's  heart  to  him  and  the  plan  of  salvation 
and  so  great  his  attachment  to  the  law  as  a  covenant  of  works 

38 


292  mis    WEW    BIRTH. 

that  he  will  never  part  with  his  own  righteousness  and  submit 
to  Christ,  until  he  is  effectually  cut  off  from  every  other  refuge. 
And  if  you  have  never  come  to  this,  and  continue  in  your  present 
situation,  you  must  eternally  perish.     But, 

3rd.  Were  you  brought  to  see  that  all  your  prayers,  tears, 
resolutions,  vows  and  good  works,  were  so  abominable  in  the 
sight  of  God,  that  it  would  be  just  for  him  to  send  you  to  hell  for 
the  best  duties  you  have  ever  performed.  Have  you  ever  seen 
that  it  was  as  impossible  for  you  to  satisfy  Divine  justice,  and  re- 
commend yourselves  to  his  favor,  as  to  stop  the  sun  in  his  course? 
Have  you  despaired  of  salvation  by  the  deeds  of  the  law,  as  poor, 
hell  deserving  creatures,  cast  yourselves  at  the  feet  of  sovereign 
mercy,  and  pleaded  your  own  sinfulness  andunworthiness,  and 
entreated  the  free  mercy  of  God  for  Christ's  sake?  If  not,  you 
are  still  in  the  gall  of  bitterness,  and  bond  of  iniquity.  For  you 
must  be  "Dead  to  the  law^''  before  you  can  '■^live  unto  God:"  and 
divorced  from  the  law  before  you  can  be  married  to  Christ. 

In  this  land  of  Gospel  light  may  be  found  many  formal  pro- 
fessors of  religion,  who  will  tell  us  that  they  never  depended 
upon  their  own  righteousness;  that  they  always  knew  its  insuffi- 
ciency to  save  them.  Ask  them,  and  they  will  tell  you  that  they 
never  had  any  difficulty  in  laying  aside  their  own  righteousness; 
they  always  knew  their  own  works  could  not  save  them.  Are 
there  any  of  this  class  that  hear  me  to-day?  I  can  assure  such 
that  they  are  even  now  depending  upon  their  own  righteousness; 
and  if  they  have  not  found  it  the  hardest  work  in  all  the  world, 
to  get  clear  of  the  belief,  that  they  could  be  saved  by  the  deeds 
of  the  law,  and  come  to  Christ  as  helpless  and  dependant  crea- 
ture?, having  nothing  to  plead  but  guilt  and  misery,  they  are 
yet  as  strangely  wedded  to  dead  works,  and  as  great  strangers 
to  the  new  birth  as  the  Pharisee  or  Mahomedan.  But  if  you 
say  you  have  been  thus  convinced  of  sin  and  have  been  cut  off 
from  any  dependence  in  your  own  righteousness, 

4th.  How  did  you  find  relief  from  your  distress!  Was  it  by 
a  spiritual,  supernatural  discovery  of  the  dignity,  glory  and  ex- 
cellency of  Christ?  Of  his  mediatorial  fullness,  suitableness  and 
willingness  to  save  you?  Did  you  see  such  a  glorious  beauty 
and  fitness  in  the  plan  of  salvation  by  free  grace,  as  gained  the 
full  consent  of  your  soul,  without  any  reserve,  to  fall  in  with  the 
terms  upon  which  Christ  offers  himself  to  sinners  ?  What  effect 
did  such  a  discovery  of  Christ  in  the  gospel,  produce  upon  your 
soul?  Was  such  an  universal  change,  as  I  have  described,  pro- 
duced in  the  powers  of  the  soul?  Is  theenmity  of  your  heart  turn- 
ed against  sin  in  yourself  and  others?  Do  you  loathe  and  abhor 
sin  for  its  own  sake,  because  it  dishonors  God  and  caused  the 
Saviour  to  bleed,  more  than  for  its  soul  damning  nature?  Do 
you  regard  the  small  inclination  and  movings  of  the  heart  to  sin, 


'the  mew  birth.  293 

as  the  plague  of  your  soul?  Do  you  look  upon  sin  as  your  worst 
enemy  ?  Do  you  love  God  more  supremely  for  what  he  is  of  him- 
self— what  you  discover  of  his  infinite  glorj'  and  perfection,  than 
for  his  benefits?  Is  a  sense  of  his  love,  the  light  of  his  counte- 
nance, communion  and  fellowship  with  him,  that  which  affords 
you  more  happiness  and  comfort,  than  all  the  riches  and  pleasures 
of  the  world?  Is  holiness  the  very  soul  of  that  bliss  which  you 
continually  long  for?  Do  you  delight  to  converse,  to  study,  and 
meditate  upon  God  and  Christ,  the  glories  of  heaven,  and  the 
spiritual  exercises  of  the  soul?  Do  you  long  to  be  free  from  this 
loathesome  body  of  sin  to  be  made  ready  for  the  marriage  sup- 
per of  the  Lamb — to  be  admitted  to  the  immediate  vision  and 
full  fruition  of  the  eternal  God — to  join  that  happy  number  who 
have  washed  their  robes  and  made  them  white  with  the  blood 
of  Jesus,  in  praising,  wondering,  and  admiring  the  boundless 
depths  of  the  love  of  God? 

If  you  can  appeal  to  God  and  your  own  consciences  that 
this  is  your  exercise,  and  that  this  is  the  habitual  frame  and 
temper  of  your  heart,  you  may  conclude  that  you  are  ^'•born 
again^''  and  shall  enter  the  '''•kingdom  of  God.^^  As  sure  as 
your  friend  Jesus  lives,  so  sure  shall  you  live  in  the  eternal  and 
complete  enjoyment  of  that  salvation  which  his  blood  and  mer- 
its have  purchased.  You  are  '^born  again,  not  of  corruptible 
seed,  but  of  incorruptible — by  the  word  of  God,  which  liveth  and 
abideth  forever.''"'  And  as  you  are  born  of  God,  you  are  sons, 
and  if  sons,  then  heirs  of  God,  and  joint  heirs  with  Christ,  who 
is  heir  of  all  things — heirs  of  immortal  life  and  glories,  such  as 
^^Eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  neither  have  entered  into  the 
heart  of  man.''''  O,  bless  the  Lord  for  his  distinguishing  love 
and  grace,  which  he  has  conferred  upon  you,  while  thousands 
as  good  by  nature,  have  been  left  to  die  in  their  sins. — Live  to 
his  glory,  and  let  your  light  so  shine  before  men,  that  they  see- 
ing your  good  works,  may  glorify  your  Father  which  is  in  hea- 
ven. 


m 


SERMON  XXVIL 


— <2J 
THE  NE\F  BIRTH. 


'•''Except  a  man  he  horn  again  he  cannot  see  ike  kingdom  of  GodJ' 
John,  iii,  3. 


There  are  no  questions  of  greater  importance  or  of  such 
general  concern,  as  those  suggested  by  this  subject.  Am  I  born 
again,  or  still  dead  in  iniquity?  Have  I  been  created  anew  in 
Christ  Jesus,  or  am  I  still  under  the  dominion  of  sin?  Am  I  an 
heir  of  heaven  and  immortal  glory,  or  am  I  a  child  of  the  Devil, 
a  bond  slave  to  Satan  and  an  heir  of  hell? 

These  are  questions  of  vital  interest  to  every  man  and  woman 
of  Adam's  numerous  posterity;  for  every  inhabitant  of  this  vast 
globe  belongs  either  to  one  or  other  of  two  classes,  viz.  Those 
who  are  born  again,  and  those  who  are  spiritually  dead.  All 
men  are  either  friends  and  lovers  of  Christ,  or  enemies  to  God 
and  rejecters  of  his  offered  mercy.  Then,  it  is  a  matter  of  great 
importance  that  we  know  to  which  of  these  classes  we  belong. 
If  we  have  been  born  again,  then  shall  we  be  made  partakers, 
of  everlasting  life — we  shall  shine  brighter  than  the  sun  in  his 
midday  splendor.  Clothed  in  the  righteousness  of  Jesus — a 
more  glorious  robe  than  Gabriel  ever  wore — we  shall  walk  the 
golden  streets  of  the  New  Jerusalem.  We  shall  be  crowned 
with  immortal  glory  and  be  forever  refreshed  with  the  fruit  of 
the  tree  of  life,  which  grows  in  the  midst  of  the  paradise  of 
God.  But  if  we  are  not  '■'•born  again^''  there  is  but  a  step  be- 
tween us  and  hell.  We  are  hanging  by  the  brittle  thread  of 
life  over  the  lake  that  burns  with  fire  and  brimstone — and  this 
thread  in  the  hand  of  an  incensed  God,  who  is  every  day  angry 
with  the  wicked;  and  none  can  tell  how  soon  he  may  plunge  us 
irrecoverably  into  burning  Tophet,  where  his  vindictive  justice 
is  displayed  in  making  its  inhabitants  completely  and  eternally 
miserable. 

Now,  my  friends,  as  you  value  your  immortal  souls,  and  wish 
to  be  eternally  happy,  I  beseech  you,  lay  this  matter  seriously 


THE   NEW    BIRTH.  295 

to  heart,  and  never  give  up  the  important  search,  until  you 
have  arrived  at  certainty  with  regard  to  your  situation.  It  is 
an  awful  hazard,  to  risk  the  everlasting  concerns  of  your  im- 
mortal soul.  You  would  scarcely  be  willing  to  live  in  uncer- 
tainty of  the  title  to  your  estate.  The  fair  paradise  of  God, 
an  exceeding  great  and  eternal  weight  of  glory,  are  of  infin- 
itely more  value  than  all  earthly  possessions;  and  how  can  you 
live  in  quiet,  when  in  danger  of  losing  these,  and  in  danger  of 
eternal  torment  too?  If  not  born  again  you  must  be  excluded 
from  heaven,  shut  out  from  the  blessed  society  of  God,  the  Fa- 
ther, Son  and  Holy  Ghost,  and  of  angels  and  glorified  saints 
who  eternally  surround  the  throne.  And  this  is  not  all:  you 
must  be  banished  to  an  infinite  distance  from  all  that  is  good, 
and  consigned  over  to  all  possible  evil.  You  must  take  up  your 
abode  with  Devils  and  reprobates,  and  all  the  damned  crew 
who  dwell  in  the  dreary  dungeon  of  eternal  darkness. 

In  treating  of  this  subject  you  may  remember  that  the  fol- 
lowing method  was  proposed,  viz: — 

I.  Shew  what  was  implied  in  the  phrase,  '•^hoi-n  again.'''' 

II.  Mention  some  of  the  properties  of  this  change. 

III.  Some  reasons  wherein  its  necessity  may  appear. 

IV.  Offer  some  improvement  of  the  subject. 

Of  the  first  we  have  spoken,  and  shall  now  proceed — 

II.     To  mention  some  of  the  properties  of  this  change. 

1st.  It  is  a  change  of  the  qualities  and  dispositions  of  the 
soul,  and  not  of  its  substance  or  essence.  Vicious  dispositions 
and  habits  are  removed,  and  the  contrary  qualities  are  im- 
planted.— "TAe  old  man  which  is  corrupt,  according  to  the  deceit- 
ful lusts,''^  is  put  off,  and  "T/^e  new  man,  which,  after  God,  is 
created  in  righteousness  and  true  holiness^''  is  put  on.  No  new 
power  or  new  affections,  are  created  in  regeneration;  for  man 
lost  none  of  these  by  the  fall.  In  his  unrenewed  state  he  has 
an  understanding,  but  it  is  blind  and  dark;  a  will  perverse  and 
opposed  to  the  will  of  God.  He  has  the  same  affections  of  de- 
sire, love  and  hatred:  but  his  desires  are  after  the  things  of  this 
"World,  the  gratification  of  his  base,  sensual  appetites.  The  af- 
fection of  love  burns  strongly  in  his  heart;  but  it  is  fixed  su- 
premely upon  himself,  his  honors,  pleasures  and  beloved  lusts. 
His  hatred  is  still  powerful:  but  he  hates  God,  his  laws  and  his 
authority. 

Now,  in  regeneration,  the  Spirit  of  God  does  not  take  away 
these  powers  and  affections  of  the  soul,  but  sets  them  right  and 
puts  them  under  proper  control.  The  same  love  once  so  strong- 
ly attracted  by  the  creature,  is  now  set  upon  God.  That  ha- 
tred and  enmity  which  was  once  exerted  against  God  and  holi- 
ness, are  now  vehemently  turned  against  sin.  Nor  can  they  be 
satisfied  with  any  thing  short  of  the  death  of  every  sin.     The 


296  THB  NEW    BIRTH. 

understanding,  before  dark,  is  enlightened,  and  the  stubborn 
and  rebellious  will  is  bowed  in  sweet  conformity  to  the  will  of 
God. 

2nd.  It  is  a  supernatural  change.  He  that  is  Horn  again,''^ 
is  born  "0/  ihe  Spirit,^''  Great  natural  changes  may  be  wrought 
upon  the  creature  by  the  assistance  of  divine  revelation  and 
the  common  influences  of  the  Spirit.  A  man  may  be  changed 
from  open  profaneness  to  morality — from  morality,  to  an  exter- 
nal profession  of  religion;  yea,  even  to  some  degree  of  spiritu- 
al light,  like  Balaam  and  Judas,  who  were  enabled  to  under- 
stand the  lights  of  God  in  a  degree  so  eminent,  as  to  be  able  to 
instruct  others.  He  may  also  attain  to  something  like  an  abi- 
ding change  in  his  affections.  His  delight  in  spiritual  duties, 
his  sorrow  for  sin,  and  fear  of  wrath,  may  be  kept  up  in  the 
soul  for  a  long  time.  By  the  common  operations  of  the  Spirit, 
a  great  change  may  be  effected  on  the  will,  as  is  evident  from 
the  example  of  the  Israelites,  who  said  unto  Moses,  "G'o  thou 
near,  and  hear  all  that  the  Lord  our  God  shall  say;  and  speak 
thou  unto  us  all  that  the  Lord  our  God  shall  speak  unto  thee:  and 
we  will  hear  it  and  do  it.''''  And  yet  they  remained  a  rebellious 
and  gainsaying  people. 

But  in  regeneration,  nature  itself  is  changed,  and  made  a 
partaker  of  the  divine  nature, — not  essentially  by  a  participa- 
tion of  the  divinity — but  by  a  conformity  to  God,  in  views  and 
affections;  in  the  frame  and  temper  of  the  mind.  Therefore, 
it  must  needs  be  a  supernatural  change;  for  it  is  as  impossible 
for  those  ^'•Dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,''''  to  renovate  the  soul  in 
all  its  faculties,  as  for  those  in  the  graves  to  raise  themselves  to 
life.  None  but  the  sanctifying  spirit,  can  form  Christ  in  the 
soul. 

3rd.  It  is  a  change  into  the  likeness  of  God.  ^^But  we  all^ 
with  open  face,  beholding  as  in  a  glass,  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  are 
changed  into  the  same  image  from  glory  to  glory,  even  as  by  the 
Spirit  of  the  Lord.''"'  As  there  is  a  resemblance  between  the 
parent  and  child,  so  every  one  that  is  born  of  God,  bears  his 
image. 

Man,  in  the  natural  state,  resembles  the  Devil.  Hence,  they 
are  said  to  be  of  their  father  the  Devil. — "Fe  are  of  your  fa- 
ther, the  Devil,  and  the  lusts  of  your  father  will  you  do.''^  But 
when  this  happy  change  is  made,  the  image  of  sin  is  oblitera- 
ted, and  the  likeness  of  God  restored.  Christ  himself,  the 
brightness  of  his  Father's  glory,  and  express  image  of  his  per- 
son, is  the  pattern  after  which  the  new  creature  is  formed. — 
^^For  whom  he  did  foreknow,  he  also  did  predestinate  to  be  conform- 
ed to  the  image  of  his  son,'''' 

4th.  It  is  Siii  entire  change. — '^Therefore,  if  any  man  be  in 
Christ,  he  is  a  n»w  creature:  old  things  are  passed  away;  behold 


THE    NEW    BIRTH. 

all  things  are  become  ne^«."  As  sin  defiled  and  ruined  the  whole 
man,  infecting  every  member  of  the  body,  and  every  faculty  of 
the  soul,  so  regenerating  grace,  the  remedy  which  God  has  pro- 
vided, extends  as  far  as  the  disease.  All  old  things  are  passed 
away,  every  sin,  idol  and  lust,  and  vicious  habit,  receives  a 
wound  which  in  the  end  will  issue  in  their  inevitable  death. — 
The  saving  graces  of  the  Spirit  are  planted  in  the  heart,  and 
they  shall  bud  and  bloom  and  bring  forth  ripe  fruits  of  glory  at 
last. 

He  who  is  born  again,  not  only  receives  new  eyes,  with  which 
to  behold  the  divine  glory  displayed  in  the  works  of  creation 
and  providence — new  ears,  with  which  to  hear  the  word  of  life; 
a  new  tongue,  for  conversation  on  heavenly  subjects — and  a 
new  understanding,  to  comprehend  the  mysteries  of  religion; — 
but,  also,  a  new  heart,  with  which  he  loves  a  God  and  his  law, 
and  embraces  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus. 

5th.  It  is  an  imperfect  change.  Although  every  part  is  re- 
newed, yet  none  is  perfectly  changed.  As  an  infant,  which,  al- 
though possessed  of  all  the  parts  of  a  man,  has  not  yet  attained 
the  stature  of  a  full  grown  man,  so  in  regeneration,  every  power 
and  faculty  of  soul  and  body,  undergo  an  incomplete  alteraiion ; 
but  shall  at  length  be  perfectly  changed  into  the  likeness  of 
God,  through  the  gradual  advances  of  a  life  of  sanctification. — 
Wherefore,  ^^As  new  born  babes^  desire  the  sincere  milk  of  the 
word,  that  ye  may  grow  thereby.''''  And  saith  Paul,  "i?e  gave 
some  apostles,  and  some  prophets,  and  some  evangelists,  and  some 
pastors  and  teachers;  for  the  perfecting  of  the  saints,  for  the  work 
of  the  ministry,  for  the  edifying  of  the  body  of  Christ,  till  we  all 
come  in  the  ^mity  of  the  faith,  and  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Son  of 
God,  unto  a  pe7 feet  man,unto  the  measure  of  the  stature  of  the  ful- 
ness of  Christ.''''  Although  in  regeneration,  there  is  a  heavenly 
light  let  into  the  mind,  some  darkness  still  remains;  although  the 
will  is  renewed,  some  small  inclination  to  sin  continues;  and  it 
will  be  so  until  that  which  in  part  is  done  away,  and  the  light  of 
glory  comes.  Adam  was  created  in  his  full  stature;  but  they  that 
are  born  must  grow  up.  Adam  was  created  upright,  and  was  there 
fore  at  once  perfectly  righteous ;  but  those  who  are  "Z>or7i  c^am" 
are  imperfectly  holy,  and  will  not  be  perfect  in  holiness,  until 
completely  sanctified  by  the  Holy  Spirit. 

6th.  It  is  a  lasting  change.  "  Whosoever  is  born  of  God,  his 
seed  remaineth  in  him.''''  The  soul  may  indeed  backslide,  fall 
from  its  first  love,  and  sink  into  a  lamentable  state.  But  the 
new  life  it  received  in  regeneration,  shall  never  be  lost:  though 
Satan,  the  grand  enemy  of  God  and  man,  shall  muster  all  the 
legions  of  hell,  and  exert  his  infernal  power  to  the  utmost,  and 
contrive  with  all^  the  corruptions  of  the  heart,  to  destroy  this 


298  THE    NEW    BIRTH. 

new  principle  of  spiritual  life,  he  shall  not  prevail;  for  the  per- 
fections of  Jehovah  are  eingaged  for  its  support  and  preserva- 
tion. As  long  as  there  is  strength  in  the  omnipotent  arm  of 
God,  as  long  as  there  is  love  and  compassion  in  Christ,  it  is  im- 
possible for  the  new  creature  to  be  destroyed.  The  life  of  the 
renewed  soul"/5  hid  with  Christ  in  God:''''  it  is  safely  preserved 
and  supported  by  Jesus  Christ,  who  died  to  purchase  eternal 
life  for  his  followers,  but  now  lives  for  ever  more.  The  reno- 
vated soul  shall  never  die,  but  shall  be  ever  united  to  Christ. — 
^^For  I  am  persuaded^  that  neither  death,  nor  life,  nor  angels,  nor 
principalities,  nor  powers,  nor  things  present,  nor  things  to  come, 
nor  height,  nor  depth,  nor  any  other  creature,  shall  he  able  to  sepa- 
rate us  from  the  love  of  God,  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord.'''' 

III.  Offer  some  reasons  from  which  the  necessity  of  the  new 
birth  may  appear.  And,  my  friends,  you  would  do  well  to  con- 
sider the  great  necessity  of  this  change. 

1st.  Regeneration  is  absolutely  necessary  to  qualify  you  for 
the  performance  of  those  things  which  are  truly  good  and  pleas- 
ing in  the  sight  of  God.  As  long  as  you  are  strangers  to  the 
new  birth,  your  best  works  are  sinful,  being  only  the  production 
of  a  corrupt  and  depraved  heart.  It  is  true,  they  may  be  physi- 
cally good,  as  actions,  simply  considered,  but  in  a  moral  sense 
they  are  vile  and  hateful  in  the  sight  of  God.  How  can  they 
be  othei'wise,  when  they  are  performed  by  those  at  enmity  with 
God?  Should  an  unregenerate  sinner  exert  every  power  of  his 
soul  to  do  service  acceptable  to  God,  he  would  fall  infinitely 
short  of  it;  for  no  cause  can  produce  effects  of  a  nature  contrary 
to  itself;  neither  will  pure  water  flow  from  a  corrupt  fountain. 
^^Without  faith,''''  says  the  apostle,  "zVw  impossible  to  please  God,'''' 
The  sinner  is  utterly  destitute  of  saving  faith,  and  therefore  no 
act  of  his  can  please  God.  "A  good  tree  cannot  bring  forth  evil 
fruit,  neither  can  a  corrupt  tree  bring  foi'th  good  fruit.''''  True, 
an  unbeliever  may  be  regular  in  his  external  walk  and  conver- 
sation; and  be  so  strict  in  all  the  duties  of  religion,  that  he  may 
appear  blameless  in  the  eyes  of  the  world,  and  escape  the  clos- 
est scrutiny  of  christians;  but  he  cannot  escape  the  heart- 
searching  eye  of  God,  who  looks  upon  his  Pharisaic  righteous- 
ness with  detestation.  Suppose  his  body  fasting,  were  reduced 
to  a  skeleton,  and  he  should  pray  until  his  lungs  were  worn  out 
and  his  knees  become  like  horns,  unless  he  were  born  again  it 
would  be  all  in  vain.  ''^For  in  Christ  Jesus,  neither  circumci- 
sion availeth  any  thing,  nor  uncircumcision,  but  a  new  creature.''^ 

2nd.  If  you  are  not  born  again,  all  your  reformations  and  ap- 
parent changes  from  profanity  to  morality,  or  from  morality  to 
a  dis(;harge  of  the  outward  duties  of  religion,  are  vain,  and  worse 
than  in  vain.  It  may  be,  that  you  have  toppeid  off  the  branches 
of  the  old  stock,  but  if  not  born  again,  the  root  of  sin  still  re- 


THE    NEW    BIRTH.  299 

mains  in  your  hearts,  strong  as  before,  and  will  again  spring 
forth  with  its  former  vigor,  in  defiance  of  all  your  efforts  to  pre- 
vent it.  1 1  may  be  said  of  you  as  it  was  of  Saul,  that  you  are 
changed  into  another  man^  yet  it  will  be  unavailing;  ''^For  except 
a  man  he  horn  again,  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God,''''  Others 
may  admire  your  seriousness,  and  the  seeming  importunity  of 
your  prayers,  but  God  esteems  them  as  the  howling  of  a  dog, 
and  loathes  them  as  you  would  an  open  sepulchre  full  of  rotten- 
ness and  putrefaction.  "7%e  sacrijice  of  the  wicked  is  an  abomi- 
nation to  the  Lord,''"'  He  that  killeth  an  ox  is  as  if  he  slew  a  man; 
he  that  sacrijicelh  the  lafnb,  as  if  he  cut  off  a  dog^s  neck;  he  that 
offereth  an  oblation^  as  if  he  offered  swine's  bloody  he  that  hurneth 
incense,  as  if  he  blessed  an  idoV  And  why?  Because  you  are 
unconverted,  and  perform  no  duty  from  a  principle  of  love  to 
God,  or  with  the  design  to  promote  his  glory. 

3rd.  If  you  are  not  born  again,  all  that  you  have  done  for 
God  and  his  cause  will  profit  nothing.  This  is  plain  from  the 
example  of  Jehu. — He  executed  the  vengeance  of  God  upon  the 
wicked  house  of  Ahab,  at  his  command,  and  therefore  he  was 
rewarded  with  a  kingdom.  Yet  for  this  same  deed,  he  was  pun- 
ished in  his  posterity,  because  he  did  it  from  wrong  motives. — 
For  says  the  Lord  by  his  prophet  Hosea, "  Yet  a  little  while,  and 
I  will  avenge  the  blood  of  Jezreel  on  the  house  of  Jehu,''"'  Remem- 
ber, God  looks  upon  the  heart,  and  if  that  is  not  right  it  ruins 
all.  This  is  evident  from  the  instances  of  Asa  and  Amaziah, 
two  kings  of  Judah.  "T^e  high  places  were  not  removed;  never- 
theless Asa''s  heart  was  perfect,  with  the  Lord  all  his  days,  Ama- 
ziah did  that  which  was  right  in  the  sight  of  God,  but  not  from  a 
perfect  heart. 

Here  some  perhaps  may  object,  and  suppose,  that  if  their 
prayers  are  an  abomination  in  the  sight  of  God,  they  had  better 
cease  praying  altogether.  This,  poor  sinner,  is  a  dreadful  con- 
clusion. Because  you  cannot  pray  to  divine  acceptance,  do 
you  think  to  mend  the  matter  by  trampling  upon  the  commands 
of  God,  which  enjoin  upon  you  prayer  and  every  other  religious 
duty?  It  is  at  the  peril  of  your  soul,  and  risk  of  eternal  damna- 
tion, that  you  neglect  this  duty.  Can  you  think  that  your  car- 
nal state  will  be  a  sufficient  excuse  for  you  at  the  bar  of  God  ? 
Will  it  appease  the  troubled  conscience  in  a  dying  hour  or  in 
the  flames  of  hell?  No.  It  will  rather  prove  your  eternal  de- 
struction, that  you  are  in  heart  enemies  to  God.  And  if  you 
cannot  pray  to  divine  acceptance,  greater  cause  have  you  to 
cry  mightily  to  God  to  change  your  hearts,  and  give  you  the 
spirit  of  prayer.  God  commands  you  to  pray  and  use  the 
means  of  grace,  and  although  he  is  under  no  obligations  to  you, 
and  might  with  justice  send  you  to  hell  even  for  your  best 
works,  he  will  bless  you.    Means  are  the  channels  through  which 

-38  * 


300  THE    KETf    BIRTH. 

he  communicates  spiritual  blessings  to  the  children  of  men. — 
Others  who  have  used  the  means  have  found  God  in  their  work- 
ing ibr  their  soul's  eternal  benefit,  and  you  may  also  find  him. — 
Therefore,  instead  of  being  discouraged,  use  all  means;  and 
with  greater  importunity  than  ever,  cry  to  God  to  give  you  a 
new  heart,  and  implant  a  principle  of  holiness  within  you, 

4th.  If  you  are  not  born  again,  you  can  never  hold  commu- 
nion with  God.  It  is  characteristic  of  the  children  of  God,  that 
they  enjoy  communion  with  him  and  have  some  sweet  fore- 
tastes of  that  felicity  which  awaits  them  beyond  death.  And  I 
dare  assert,  that  those  who  have  not,  at  certain  times,  had  such 
views  of  the  divine  glory,  and  felt  such  a  sense  of  the  love  of 
God  shed  abroad  in  their  hearts,  as  filled  them  with  joy  and  sat- 
isfaction beyond  all  that  this  world  can  afford,  yea,  such  as  com- 
municated heaven  to  the  soul,  however  great  their  pretensions 
to  holiness,  and  however  fair  their  professions,  they  are  yet  in 
the  '"''gall  of  bitterness  and  in  the  bond  of  iniquity.''^  For  it  is  by 
communion  with  God,  that  the  plant  of  holiness  is  nourished, 
and  the  christian  derives  strength  and  quickening  grace  from 
Christ  the  fountain  of  all  spiritual  influences.  Hence,  says  John, 
"TVmZi/  our  fellowship  is  with  the  Father^  and  with  his  Son  Jesus 
Christ.^^  But  unconverted  sinners  can  have  no  communion 
with  God,  because  they  are  his  enemies.  Enemies  to  his  law, 
they  refuse  to  submit  to  his  authority:  they  prefer  the  gratifica- 
tion of  their  lusts  to  all  the  glorious  rewards  of  his  grace,  and 
choose  the  service  of  the  Devil.  They  are  the  objects  of  Jeho- 
vah's wrath,  and  therefore  it  is  impossible  for  them  to  have  fel- 
lowship with  him.  Who  would  lead  his  enemies  into  his  secret 
councils,  or  treat  them  with  the  kindness  and  affection  of  a 
father?  Who  would  nurse  the  viper  in  his  bosom?  And  can 
infinite  holiness  and  purity  embrace  hellish  deformity?  '^What 
fellowship  hath  righteousness  with  unrighteousness?  and  what 
communion  hath  light  with  darkness?  And  what  concord  hath 
Christ  with  BeliaW''  How  dreadful  then  is  the  condition  of 
Christless  sinners!  Poor  souls!  if  you  were  sensible  of  your 
miserable  situation,  the  very  heavens  would  this  day  ring  with 
your  cries. 

5th.  If  you  are  not  '■'•born  again''''  you  are  absolutely  unfit  for 
heaven  and  that  for  several  reasons.  1.  God  is  essentially  holy 
and  stands  at  an  infinite  distance  from  all  moral  evil.  He  enjoys 
eternal  happiness  in  the  purity  and  rectitude  of  his  own  glorious 
perfections.  Therefore  sin,  and  its  willing  slaves,  are  the  ob- 
jects of  his  hatred. — ''''Thou  art  of  purer  eyes  than  to  behold  evily 
and  canst  not  look  on  iniquity.'''  Elsewhere  God  is  said  to  be 
angry  with  the  ivicked  every  day,  and  his  infinite  holiness  (speak- 
ing with  reverence,)  obliges  him  to  banish  them  to  an  infinite 
distance  from  him.     Speaking  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  says  John, 


THE    NEW    BIRTH.  301 

"  There  shall  in  no  wise  enter  into  it  any  thing  that  de/ileth,  neither 
whatsoever  worketh  abomination,  or  worketh  a  lie.''''  Besides,  infi- 
nite justice  armed  with  tiie  flaming  sword  of  divine  vengeance, 
guards  the  gate  of  the  paradise  of  God,  and  will  not  suffer  unholy- 
sinners  to  enter. 

2nd.  The  unregenerate  sinner  would  not  relish  the  company, 
the  occupations  or  enjoyments  of  the  kingdom  of  God.  Hea- 
ven consists  in  perfect  holiness,  in  beholding,  worshiping  and 
admiring  the  glories  and  perfections  of  the  Deity,  in  an  unin- 
terrupted enjoyment  of  the  love  of  God.  Tell  me,  oh  ungod- 
ly sinner,  what  pleasure  you  would  find  in  such  a  heaven  as 
this?  What  satisfaction  could  you  have  in  beholding  the  excel- 
lency of  a  Being  whom  you  hate  with  all  your  heart?  Would 
perfect  holiness  afford  you  any  felicity,  if  you  did  not  desire  it? 
You  wish  to  be  happy,  and  are  anxious  to  go  to  heaven ;  but  a 
Mahomedan  paradise — a  heaven  of  carnal  pleasures,  and  fleshly 
gratifications  would  suit  your  taste  much  better,  than  the  hea- 
ven which  the  renewed  soul  hungers  and  thirsts  for,  and  longs 
to  enjoy.  Now,  if  you  would  examine  your  hearts,  conscience 
would  tell  many  of  you  that  such  is  the  case.  Have  you  not 
often  found  the  Sabbath  to  be  the  longest  day  of  the  week,  and 
its  exercises  burdensome  to  you?  You  could  spend  its  precious 
hours  in  vain  and  foolish  conversation:  conscience  bears  wit- 
ness that  you  have  no  relish  for  conversation  about  Christ  and 
heaven — the  exercises  of  the  heart  or  the  method  of  God's 
dealing  with  the  soul  in  order  to  prepa^-e  it  ior  glory. 

Think  how  burdensome  and  disagreeable  heaven  would  be,  if 
you  were  taken  there  this  moment.  Rather  than  spend  an  eterni- 
ty in  company  so  opposite  to  your  nature,  and  be  engaged  in 
employments  so  unpleasant  to  your  vitiated  minds,  you  would 
leap  o'er  the  high  battlements  of  heaven  down  to  the  burning 
furnace  of  hell.  Now,  sinner,  are  you  not  convinced  that  you 
must  be  '•^horn  again^''  to  be  qualified  to  enjoy  true  happiness  ? 
For,  although  you  find  a  wretched  pleasure  in  your  present 
course,  if  God  were  to  withdraw  the  restraints  which  he  has 
laid  upon  you,  a  perfect  hell  would  spring  up  in  your  hearts. 
You  would  feel  the  malice  and  enmity  of  the  Devil  boiling  in 
your  souls,  against  God  and  every  thing  that  bears  his  image. 
The  enmity  of  the  carnal  mind,  and  the  enmity  of  the  Devil, 
are  the  same  in  kind;  but  the  one  is  under  the  control  of  res- 
training gi'ace,  the  other  is  not.  But  at  death  restraining  grace 
is  taken  away  and  then  your  hatred  to  the  moral  image  and 
character  of  God,  will,  if  your  capacity  admit  it,  be  equal  to 
that  of  Satan.  No  sinner  in  this  condition  can  be  permitted  to 
sit  down  with  Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob,  the  patriarchs  and 
apostles  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  to  join  the  company  of  the 


302  THE    NEW    BIRTH. 

redeemed  above,  who  have  washed  their  robes  in  the  blood  of 
the  Lamb. 

6th.  As  long  as  you  continue  in  your  unregenerate  state, 
you  are  under  the  curse  of  God,  and  exposed  to  everlasting  ru- 
in. You  may  think  this  harsh  language,  but  I  assure  you  that 
it  is  not  more  harsh  than  true.  Search  the  word  of  God  from 
beginning  to  end,  you  will  not  find  one  word  of  peace  to  the 
sinner  in  his  unrenewed  state;  but  curses,  threatenings  and  ter- 
rors. The  pure  and  holy  law  of  God,  the  transcript  and  nature 
of  his  perfections,  and  the  declaration  of  his  will,  speaks  no 
milder  language  than,  '■''Indignation  and  icrat/i,  tribulation  and 
anguish,  upon  every  soul  of  man  that  doeth  evil.'''' — ^''Cursed  is  ev- 
ery one  that  continueth  not  in  all  things  which  are  written  in  the 
book  of  the  law  to  do  them.''' — "/i!  shall  come  to  pass  if  thou  wilt 
not  hearken  unto  the  voice  of  the  Lord  thy  God,  to  observe  to  do 
all  his  commandments  and  statutes  zvhich  I  command  thee  this  day, 
that  all  these  curses  shall  come  upon  thee  and  overtake  thee. 
Cursed  shall  thou  be  in  the  city,  and  cursed  shalt  thou  be  in  the 
Jield.  Cursed  shall  he  thy  basket,  and  thy  store.  Cursed  shall 
be  the  fruit  of  thy  body,  and  the  fruit  of  thy  land,  the  inci'ease  of 
thy  kine,  and  the  flocks  of  thy  sheep.  Cursed  shalt  thou  be  when 
thou  comest  in,  and  cursed  shalt  thou  be  when  thou  goest  out.'''' 
These  words,  although  spoken  to  the  Israelites,  may  be  applied 
to  sinners  of  the  present  day;  and  the  gospel  of  Christ,  which 
abounds  in  encouraging  promises  to  returning  sinners,  denoun- 
ces your  doom  in  language  still  more  dreadful — "^  any  man 
love  not  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  let  him  be  Anathema,  Maranatha,'''' 
i.  e.  accursed  when  the  Lord  comes,  "//e  that  despised  Moses^ 
law  died  without  mercy  under  two  or  three  witnesses;  of  hoiv  much 
sorer  punishment  suppose  ye,  shall  he  be  thought  worthy,  who  hath 
trodden  under  foot  the  Son  of  God,  and  hath  counted  the  blood  of 
the  covenant  wherewith  he  was  sanctified,  an  unholy  thing,  and 
hath  done  despite  unto  the  Spirit  of  God?''''  '''•The  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  shall  be  revealed  from  heaven  with  his  mighty  angels,  in 
flaming  fire,  taking  vengeance  on  them  that  know  not  God,  and  that 
obey  not  the  gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ:  who  shall  be  pun- 
ished with  everlasting  destruction  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord, 
and  from  the  glory  of  his  power.''"'  As  long  as  you  are  strangers 
to  the  new  birth,  all  the  curses,  terrors,  and  threatenings  hang 
over  your  heads.  The  vengeance  of  the  eternal  God  is  gather- 
ing in  a  thick  tempest  ready  to  burst  upon  you:  Jehovah  seated 
upon  the  burning  throne  of  Justice  frowns  upon  you:  bottomless 
hell  is  yawning  wide  to  receive  you:  the  devils  are  waiting  the 
dreadful  mandate,  that  they  may  sink  their  fiery  talons  into  your 
souls  and  drag  you  to  the  infernal  pit.  Oh  that  you  were  wise, 
that  you  understood  this,  and  would  consider  what  would  be  the 
end  oi  your  course.     Fly  to  Jesus  while  the  door  of  mercy  is 


THE    NEW    BIRTH.  303 

open.  Fly,  fly,  to  the  ark  of  safety,  before  the  deluge  of  God's 
wrath  overtakes  you.  Turn  to  the  strong  hold,  while  you  are 
yet  prisoners  of  hope;  for  behold  the  avenger  of  blood  is  at 
your  heels— the  sword  of  inflexible  justice  is  drawn  and  ready 
to  be  plunged  into  your  hearts. 

IV.  We  promised  some  remarks  by  way  of  improvement. 
If,  after  the  strictest  examination,  you  can  prove  from  the  tes- 
timony of  God's  word,  that  you  are  '•''born  again  f  if  by  looking 
in  the  mirror  of  the  sacred  scriptures,  you  can  discover  in 
yourselves  the  features  of  your  heavenly  Father;  if  you  can  ap- 
peal to  God  and  to  your  own  consciences,  that  you  love  what 
he  loves,  and  hate  what  he  hates — that  every  sin  however  pleas- 
ant to  the  carnal  mind,  is  the  plague  of  your  life — that  you  love 
and  delight  in  the  law  of  God  because  it  is  his  law,  the  copy  of 
his  holy  nature  and  perfections,  and  because  it  strikes  at  the  root 
of  your  besetting  sins — that  you  love  his  ordinances,  because  in 
them  you  have  often  seen  his  smiling  face;  if  you  habitually 
long  to  be  prepared  for  glory — to  be  fitted  for  dwelling  forever 
in  your  Father's  house,  because  neither  sin  nor  any  evil  is  there, 
but  perfection  in  holiness,  and  conformity  to  God;  if  your  souls 
are  daily  fed  on  Christ,  the  bread  of  life  which  came  dov;n 
from  heaven;  if  you  live  upon  him  by  faith,  depending  on  him 
and  him  alone  for  righteousness  to  justify  you,  and  for  quicken- 
ing, sanctifying  and  persevering  grace;  if,  when  you  fall  into 
sin,  your  consciences  give  you  no  ease  until  you  are  brought  to 
apply  to  the  blood  of  Christ: — then,  praise  and  admire  the  rich- 
es of  that  grace  which  brought  you  from  your  lost  estate,  while 
thousands  are  left  in  sin,  to  become  vessels  of  wrath  and  monu- 
ments of  his  vengeance.  O  consider  what  infinite  obligations 
you  are  under  to  God,  and  to  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  who  groaned 
and  bled  and  died  for  your  salvation.  Who  has  sent  the  Spirit, 
the  third  person  in  the  adorable  Trinity,  to  bow  your  hard 
hearts  and  obstinate  wills,  to  the  astonishing  plan  of  free-grace. 
O  let  your  holy,  self-denying  lives  evidence  to  the  world  that 
you  love  your  heavenly  Father,  and  delight  in  his  law. — And 
for  your  encouragement  let  me  tell  you,  it  will  not  be  long  before 
he  will  send  a  fiery  chariot,  attended  by  holy  angels,  to  conduct 
you  to  the  Paradise  of  God,  where  you  shall  ever  eat  of  the  fruit 
of  the  tree  of  life,  and  drink  of  the  rivers  of  pleasure,  which 
flow  at  his  right  hand.  Then  you  shall  possess  all  the  bliss 
which  Jehovah  designed  for  you  from  eternity,  and  which  the 
blood  and  merits  of  Christ  could  purchase.  How  sweet  will  it 
be,  to  sit  down  with  Christ  your  elder  brother  on  the  throne  of 
his  glory,  whilst  all  doubts  and  fears,  groans,  pains,  tears  and 
sorrows,  all  intervening  clouds,  are  banished  to  an  infinite  dis- 
tance from  you.  There  you  shall  join  the  church  triumphant, 
those  who  have  gone  before,  and  all  who  shall  be  gathered  of 


304  THE    NEW    BIRTH. 

Adam's  race  until  the  end  of  the  world,  in  singing  praises  and 
hallelujahs  to  him  that  sits  upon  the  throne,  who  redeemed  you 
and  washed  you  from  your  sins  in  his  own  blood! 

And,  now,  unconverted  sinners,  let  me  entreat  you  to  con- 
sider your  doleful  and  wretched  condition.  Poor  souls!  every 
moment  while  out  of  Christ,  you  are  suspended  over  eternal 
burnings,  and  that  too  by  the  hand  of  a  sin-avenging  God,  who 
is  angry  with  you  every  day,  and  you  know  not  what  moment 
he  will  suffer  you  to  fall  irrecoverably  into  the  flames  of  Tophet; 
''''The  pile,  thereof  is  much  icood;  the  breath  of  the  Lord ^  like  a 
stream  of  brimstone,  doth  kindle  it.''''  Perhaps  you  think  but  little 
of  this  matter  now,  and  many  may  make  a  jest  of  all  this;  and. 
Leviathan-like,  can  laugh  at  the  shaking  of  Jehovah's  spear, 
which  makes  Devils  roar,  and  curse,  and  bite  their  iron  bands; 
But  as  God  lives,  the  day  is  coming,  when,  in  eternity,  you  shall 
lament  and  bewail  your  folly,  if  you  continue  to  sleep  on  in  se- 
curity, and  slight  the  precious  seasons  of  grace.  Some  of  you 
are  postponing  the  important  matter  to  a  future  time.  Some- 
times you  see  that  your  situation  is  dangerous;  the  fears  of 
death  and  hell  affright  you,  and  make  you  seriously  resolve  that 
you  will  do  better  for  the  time  to  come;  but  soon  these  terrors 
wear  off  and  you  fall  again  into  your  old  careless  course:  and, 
to  keep  conscience  quiet,  you  flatter  yourselves  that  you  will 
repent  and  become  new  cieatures  before  you  die — perhaps 
when  old,  or  when  your  frolicsome  days  are  ended,  or  when  you 
have  more  time  and  leisure  from  the  business  of  the  world. 
But,  permit  me  to  tell  you,  that  this  is  not  a  matter  of  so  little 
importance,  that  it  should  be  put  off  to  another  time.  How 
dreadful  the  consequence,  if  before  that  period  you  should  die! 
Thousands  there  are  at  this  moment  in  hell,  howling  with  the 
damned,  who  as  you  do,  put  off  the  work  of  salvation  and  in- 
tended to  become  pious  before  derth.  By  this  means,  they  tri- 
fled away  their  day  of  grace  and  lost  all  the  opportunities  of  re- 
pentance. There  are  some  too,  who,  if  they  would  permit  con- 
science to  speak,  and  candidly  examine,  might  see  that  they  nev- 
er had  an  hour's  distress  or  sorrow  for  sin,  or  one  discovery  of 
the  glory  and  suitableness  of  the  Saviour;  and  yet  they  take  it 
for  granted  that  all  is  well.  They  think  that  they  will  be  hap- 
py at  last,  and  yet  never  bring  the  matter  under  serious  exami- 
nation, as  in  the  sight  of  the  heart-searching  God.  They  do  not 
trouble  themselves  to  know  whether  they  have  the  marks  and 
characters  of  those  who  are  born  again;  but  venture  all  upon 
uncertainty.  They  indeed  trust  they  will  attain  heaven  at  last 
through  the  righteousness  of  Christ.  And  because  God  is  mer- 
ciful, they  have  no  doubt  but  eternal  life,  immortal  glory,  and  joys 
unspeakable,  will  be  theirs.  And  pray,  what  foundation  have 
they  for  their  hopes?     Nothing  more  than  a  presumptuous  con- 


THE   NEW    BIRTH.  305 

fidence!  I  have  heard  of  a  madman,  who  claimed  all  the  lands 
between  the  Delaware  and  Susqaehannah,  and  attended  courts 
of  justice  to  be  put  in  possession  of  his  rights.  But  he  had  no 
evidence  to  support  his  claim,  other  than  a  vain  conceit  of  his 
own  crazy  imagination;  and  upon  no  better  foundation  than 
this,  do  many,  who  call  themselves  christians,  build  their  hopes 
of  heaven  and  eternal  life.  If  you  inquire  the  reason  of  their 
hope,  they  will  answer  that  there  are  but  few  who  attain  the 
faith  of  assurance,  but  they  trust  God  with  the  concerns  of  their 
souls. — Christ  died  for  sinners,  and  therefore  they  hope  to  be 
saved.  Inquire  of  them  about  the  inward  exercises  of  their 
souls,  their  views  of  the  abomination  of  their  hearts,  or  the  soul- 
ravishing  beauty  of  Christ,  or  about  their  particular  acquaint- 
ance with  the  plan  of  salvation,  or  the  internal  work  of  the 
Spirit  of  God  upon  their  souls — you  will  find  them  as  great 
strangers  to  the  life  and  power  of  religion,  as  the  Hindoo  or 
Hottentot.  Are  there  any  of  those  who  now  hear  me  of  this 
class,  their  case  is  deplorable  beyond  comprehension. — The 
flames  of  hell  will  soon  convince  you  of  your  awful  mistake; 
and  it  will  greatly  aggravate  your  damnation,  to  have  been  like 
Capernaum  exalted  to  heaven,  and  after  all,  to  awake  among  dev- 
ils and  damned  ghosts  in  the  lake  that  burns  with  fire  and  brim- 
stone— where  all  opportunities  are  lost,  and  all  seasons  of  grace 
and  means  of  salvation  are  gone  forever  and  ever!  Then,  I 
pray  and  beseech  you,  search  diligently,  and  neither  take  sleep 
to  your  eyes,  nor  slumber  to  your  eyelids,  until  you  have  come 
to  some  certainty  about  the  state  of  your  souls.  Cry  to  God  day 
and  night  to  grant  you  the  enlightening  influences  of  his  Spirit, 
to  discover  to  you  your  lost  and  perishing  condition,  and  to  cut 
you  off  from  every  other  refuge  but  Christ. 

Let  me  entreat  those,  who  have  ever  felt  the  spirit  of  God 
striving  with  them,  seriously  to  put  home  to  their  consciences. 
Have  I  been  born  again?  or  am  I  yet  a  child  of  wrath  and  heir 
of  hell?  A  person  may,  for  a  long  time,  feel  the  spirit  striving 
with  him — may  feel  the  most  piercing  convictions,  and  yet 
never  arrive  at  the  new  birth.  Pharaoh  and  Simon  Magus  had 
such  horrors  of  conscience,  that  they  desired  the  prayers  of 
others,  but  still  they  remained  in  the  '•^gall  of  bitterness  and  in 
the  bond  of  iniquity.'''' 

As  trees  often  shoot  and  blossom  fair  without  producing  fruit, 
so  poor  sinners  alarmed  from  their  security,  have  been  brought 
to  see  and  feel  the  necessity  of  the  new  birth,  and  agonized,  and 
cried,  and  prayed,  and  used  every  outward  means  with  dili- 
gence; and  yet  have  made  shipwreck  of  their  consciences;  and 
have  returned  again  to  their  old  courses,  like  the  '•^Dog  to  his 
vomit,  and  the  soiu  that  has  been  washed  to  her  wallowing  in  the 
mire.''''     Like  Cain,  some  have  roared  out  under  dreadful  appre- 


306  THE    NEW    BIRTH. 

hensionsof  future  wrath;  and  yet  have  stifled  their  convictions 
with  the  cares  of  this  world — practically  declaring  that  they 
esteem  worldly  objects,  more  excellent  and  desirable,  than 
Christ,  and  all  the  boundless  treasures  of  his  grace.  Like  Ahab, 
others  have  humbled  themselves  and  broken  off  from  many  of 
their  sins,  but  went  no  farther.  Some  like  Felix,  have  trem- 
bled at  the  prospect  of  death  and  judgment,  but  have  procrasti- 
nated their  return  to  God,  and  by  this  means  have  eternally  per- 
ished. Others,  like  '"'•Those  who  were  once  enlightened^  and  have 
tasted  of  the  heavenly  gift,  and  were  made  partakers  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  have  tasted  the  good  word  of  life,  and  the  powers  of  the 
world  to  come^''  but  who  from  want  of  a  hearty  consent  of  the 
soul  to  the'terms  of  the  gospel,  have  never  been  '•''horn  again.''"' 
These  have  miscarried  and  have  fallen  away,  and  thus  '•'•crucify 
to  themselves  the  Son  of  God  afresh,  and  pint  him  to  an  open 
shcone.'^  Is  it  possible  that  men  can  feel  such  awakenings  of 
conscience  and  strivings  of  the  spirit  upon  their  hearts,  and  still 
be  strangers  to  the  new  birth  and  enemies  to  God? 

Then,  is  it  not  a  matter  of  infinite  moment  for  each  of  you, 
my  brethren,  to  examine  all  your  past  and  present  religious  ex- 
ercises? Oh  may  you  never  rest  until  you  find  evidence,  sus- 
tained by  the  authority  of  God's  word,  that  you  have  been  born 
again,  children  of  God  and  heirs  of  glory!  And  if  upon  strict 
examination,  your  consciences  tell  you  that  the  exercises  of 
your  souls,  and  the  desires  and  longings  of  your  hearts,  are  not 
after  God,  but  the  things  of  the  world,  the  gratification  of  lusts 
and  fleshly  appetites,  for  heaven's  sake  and  for  your  soul's  sake, 
cast  away  your  old  religion,  and  all  your  false  hopes,  and  oegin 
anew.  Fall  in  the  dust  before  God,  beg  of  him  the  pardon  of 
your,  sins,  and  plead  earnestly  with  him,  by  his  Holy  Spirit,  to 
cut  you  off  from  all  your  refuges  of  lies,  and  effectually  persuade 
you  to  close  with  Christ  upon  his  own  terms.  It  is  much  better 
that  you  should  noiv  see  your  own  hypocrisy,  the  rotten  founda- 
tion of  your  hopes,  and  cast  away  your  pretended  religion,  than 
to  sleep  on  in  security,  dreaming  of  heaven  and  eternal  happi- 
ness, at  last  to  be  undeceived  in  the  flames  of  hell,  when  God 
will  laugh  at  your  calamity,  and  devils  and  damned  ghosts  will 
curse  and  deride  your  folly,  in  coming  to  such  torments,  after 
having  enjoyed  such  fair  opportunities  to  escape. 

And  now,  let  me  beseech  all  those,  who  are  burdened  with  a 
sense  of  sin,  to  make  no  delay,  but  haste — fly  to  Christ — while 
the  spirit  is  striving  with  you.  If  you  quench  your  present  con- 
victions, and  wear  off"  your  concern  for  your  soul's  salvation,  it 
may  be  that  God  will  be  provoked  to  pronounce  of  you,  as  of 
Ephraim  of  old, — He  "7^  joined  to  idols,  let  him  alone."''  "i?e 
that  is  unjust,  let  him  be  unjust  still;  and  he  which  is  filthy,  let 
him  be  filthy  stilV     ^^My  Spirit  shall  not  always  strive  with 


THB  NEW   BIRTR.  307 

man,''''  Then  your  last  state  will  be  worse  than  the  first;  for 
convictions  stifled  harden  the  heart,  and  render  it  more  impene- 
trable than  ever.  Therefore,  1  pray  you  to  be  persuaded  to  rise 
and  fly  for  your  lives,  while  the  door  of  mercy  is  open,  and  God 
is  waiting  to  be  gracious.  Why  will  you  linger  in  Sodom,  till 
the  flames  of  divine  wrath  consume  you?  Why  stay  in  the  com- 
pany of  Korah,  Dathan,  and  Abiram  till  you  are  swallowed  up 
in  the  bottomless  pit  of  hell?  If  you  neglect  this  precious  oppor- 
tunity and  reject  Christ  while  pleading  for  entrance  into  your 
hearts,  it  may  prove  your  everlasting  ruin.  Escape  for  your 
lives  to  Jesus  Christ,  who  stands  with  open  arms  ready  to  re- 
ceive you,  in  whom  you  will  find  complete  and  everlasting  salva- 
tion. He  will  clothe  you  in  the  white  robe  of  his  righteousness, 
and  cleanse  you  from  all  the  filth  and  pollution  of  sin.  He  will 
fill  you  with  the  love  of  God,  instead  of  his  dreadful  wrath,  and 
give  you  eternal  life  in  the  immediate  vision  and  full  fruition  of 
the  everlasting  God.  Eternal  life,  sinners,  is  this  day  offered 
you;  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  purchased  it  with  his  own 
blood,  would  with  pleasure  bestow  it  upon  you.  Nothing  sepa- 
rates between  your  souls  and  Christ,  but  unbelief  and  your  own 
unwillingness:  for  he  has  given  the  strongest  possible  proof  of 
his  willingness  to  receive  guilty  sinners  like  you,  if  they  would 
come  to  him.  If  unwilling  to  save  you,  would  he  have  left  the 
bosom  of  his  Father  and  all  the  glories  of  his  kingdom,  veil  his 
godhead  in  flesh,  suffer,  bleed  and  die,  that  he  might  open  a  way 
of  escape  from  eternal  wrath? 

How  free  and  extensive  are  the  invitations  of  his  Gospel! — 
^^Come  unto  me  all  ye  thai  labor,  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will 
give  you  rest.''''  '•'•Him  that  cometh  to  me,  /  will  in  no  wise  cast 
outJ'''  ^^The  Spirit  and  the  bride  say  come;  and  let  hijn  thel  hear- 
eth  say  come;  and  let  him  that  is  athirst,  come:  and  ichosoever 
will,  let  him  take  of  the  water  of  life  freely.''''  Then,  fly  to  Jesus, 
and  cast  yourselves  at  the  feet  of  sovereign  mercy,  and  accept  of 
salvation.  The  Lord  assures  you  of  a  hearty  welcome.  Escape 
to  the  ark  of  safety, 'ere  the  deluge  of  Jehovah's  wrath  overtake 
you.  Flee  to  the  city  of  refuge,  for  the  avenger  of  blood  pursues 
you,  and  the  sword  of  justice  shall  divide  i-n  sunder  those  who 
delay ! 

39 


^ 


SERMON   XXVIII. 


TERMS   OF    DISCIPLiESHIP. 

^>- 

^^Then  said  Jesus  unto  his  disciples^  if  any  man  will  come  after 
me,  let  him  deny  himself,  and  take  up  his  cross,  and  follow  me*''"' 
Matthew,  xvi.  24. 


All  mankind  are  passing  to  the  eternal  world — hastening  to 
heaven  or  hell — as  fast  as  time,  with  his  rapid  flight,  can  bear 
them;  every  one  ardent  in  the  pursuit  of  happiness:  a  large  ma- 
jority desire  to  have  all  their  pleasure  and  satisfaction  in  this 
world,  while  a  small  minority,  consisting  of  a  lonely  few,  are 
seeking  happiness  beyond  the  grave — seeking  an  inheritance — 
a  kingdom,  an  eternal  crown  of  unfadingglory,  of  which  the  world 
knows  nothing.  Christ  and  the  Devil  are  the  great  compet- 
itors who  head  these  two  parties.  They  are  daily  seeking  vol- 
unteers, and  using  all  means  to  persuade  adventurers  to  the  res- 
pective countries  of  their  abode,  on  theother  side  of  death.  The 
Devil  holds  up  to  the  view  of  sinners,  the  honors,  the  profits  and 
the  pleasures  of  the  present  world,  the  popular  and  fashionable 
vices,  the  indulgence  of  sinful  pleasures,  and  gratification  of  sin- 
ful appetites.  He  persuades  perishing  mortals  to  make  sure  of 
these.  To  place  all  their  happiness  in  them,  and  risk  the  things 
beyond  the  grave. — And  the  consequence  is,  that  hundreds  and 
thousands,  and  millions  follow  him.  And  hence  it  is,  that  whole 
families  and  neighborhoods,  towns  and  almost  entire  cities,  are 
on  the  broad  road  to  hell — like  Esau,  selling  Christ,  heaven  and 
eternal  life,  for  a  mess  of  pottage — willing  to  risk  the  vengeance 
of  God  and  the  torments  of  hell,  for  the  pleasure  of  sin  and  the 
vanities  of  the  world. 

Jesus  finds  but  few  to  enlist  under  his  banner — but  few  who 
are  willing  to  part  with  tlie  sinful  pleasures  of  life — to  face  the 
scotls,  the  reproaches,  the  persecutions,  and  opposition  of  the 
wicked,  and  seek  after  happiness  beyond  the  grave — a  blessed- 
ness the  other  side  of  death.    Jesus,  the  leader  and  captain  of  his 


TERMS    OF    DISCiPLESHIf.  309 

blood  bought  family  deceives  nobody.  In  all  his  gracious  propo- 
sals to  lost  sinners,  he  honestly  and  faithfully  tells  them  the  best 
and  the  worst  of  his  conditions.  Ke  tells  those  who  enlist  them- 
selves under  him,  that  in  this  world  they  shall  have  tribulation; 
that  as  the  world  hated  him,  so  it  will  hate  them;  that  if  they 
called  the  master  of  the  house  Beelzebub,  they  of  his  household 
can  expect  no  better  treatment.  He  tells  them,  also,  that  they 
shall  have  genuine  comfort,  such  pleasures,  joys  and  consolations, 
as  are  worthy  the  pursuits  of  rational  beings.  The  Holy  Ghost, 
the  comforter,  which  the  world  cannot  receive,  because  it 
seeth  him  not,  neither  knoweth  him,  shall  dwell  with  them  and  be 
in  them.  The  F'alher  and  Son  shall  come  to  them  and  take  up 
their  abode  with  them.  The  '-^peace  of  God  ichich  passeth  all  un- 
derstanding^'''' shall  fill  their  hearts,  and,  '•^believing, ^^  they  shall 
^^rejoiceunth  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory.'''' 

These  things  are  the  mysteries  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  which 
appear  like  dark  and  unmeaning  parables  to  those  that  are  with- 
out. These  are  the  things  which  the  wisdom  of  the  world  treats 
as  foolishness — which  the  wise  fools  of  the  earth,  call  enthusi- 
asm and  distraction,  and  consider  too  little,  too  mean  and  child- 
ish, for  their ^rea^  minds  to  be  employed  about.  Christ  tells  each 
one  who  will  enlist  under  his  banner,  that  he  shall  have  a  king- 
dom prepared  for  him  before  the  foundation  of  the  world — that 
he  shall  reign  with  him  upon  his  throne:  he  tells  them  that  he 
has  gone  to  prepare  a  place  for  them  in  his  Father's  house — that 
he  will  receive  them  to  himself — that  where  he  is  they  may  be 
also — there  to  behold  his  glory — there  to  possess  an  exceeding 
great  and  eternal  weight  of  glory. — Joys  such  as  "eye  hath  not 
seen,  nor  ear  heard,  neither  have  entered  into  the  heart  of  man.'''' 
But  all  these  things  are  treated  by  the  world  as  extreme  foolish- 
ness; and  thousands  sell  their  chance  for  them,  for  their  balls, 
frolics  and  intoxicating  cups — their  carnal  pleasures  and  the  in- 
dulgence of  their  vitiated  appetites. 

In  the  text,  Christ  holds  out  the  only  terms  upon  which  salva- 
tion may  be  expected.  "//'  any  man  will  came  after  me,  let  him 
deny  himself  and  take  up  his  cross  and  follow  me.''"'  In  these 
words,  we  have,  first,  the  character  of  the  genuine  christian — 
him  that  is  a  saint  indeed. — He  follows  Christ.  To  follow  some- 
times means  to  pursue  the  footsteps  of  a  person  who  has  gone 
before;  by  this  means  coming  to  the  place  where  he  is,  and  find- 
ing him.  Sometimes  it  signifies,  the  conduct  of  a  careful  and 
industrious  student,  who  loves  his  master — who  places  the  high- 
est confidence  in  his  rules  and  instructions,  and  pursues  his  di- 
rections with  diligence  and  attention.  Sometimes  it  signifies,  an 
exact  copying  the  example  of  some  amiable  and  respectable 
character.  In  every  sense  of  the  word  it  implies  that  Jesus  has 
gone  to  heaven  to  prepare  a  place  for  his  followers;  he  has  iiaark- 


310  tERMS   OF    DISCIPLESHTP. 

ed  the  way  with  his  blood  and  his  footsteps;  and  all  his  spiritual 
children  are  walking  in  the  '•'•narrow'^  way  of  holiness  and  endeav- 
ouring to  tread  in  his  footsteps. 

Jesus  is  the  great  prophet  of  his  church.  He  teaches  his  peo- 
ple by  his  word  and  Spirit:  and  they  like  little  children  -cr-  v\\ 
at  his  leet  learning  to  know  God  and  do  his  will — to  acquire  the 
temper  and  disposition  of  the  heavenly  country  to  which  they 
are  journeying.  In  some  measure,  they  are  like  Christ:  they 
bear  his  image,  and  are  continually  longing  to  be  made  perfect  in 
their  likeness  to  him.  Therefore,  says  the  apostle,  "i/"  any  man 
have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christy  he  is  notie  of  his.''''  Christ  is  the  di- 
vine pattern,  which  his  people  try  to  imitate  in  all  their  conduct 
towards  God  and  men. 

In  the  text  are  contained  two  things  essentiallj-  necessary  to 
our  following  Christ. —  We  must  deny  ourselves^  and  take  up  the 
cross.  We  must  part  with  every  sin  and  sinful  pleasure,  though 
as  dear  to  us  as  a  right  eye,  or  as  profitable  as  a  right  hand.  The 
terms  are — part  from  them,  or  from  Christ.  We  must  encoun- 
ter every  difficulty — endure  all  things  and  suffer  all  things  for 
Christ  or  we  can  have  no  part  in  him. 

In  the  farther  consideration  of  the  subject,  we  shall  pursue  the 
following  method. — 

I.  Shew  what  is  implied  in  following  Christ. 

II.  Mention  some  particulars,  in  which  every  genuine  chris- 
tian follows  him. 

III.  Say  something  of  bearing  the  cross,  or  that  self-denial  con- 
nected with  following  Christ. 

I.  Shew  what  is  implied  in  following  Christ. 

1st.  HhQ  implantation  of  spiritual  life  in  the  soul  is  implied. 
Following  implies  action,  motion,  volition.  In  a  natural  sense, 
it  always  supposes  the  existence  of  spiritual  life.  All  men  are, 
by  nature,  morally  and  spiritually  dead;  and,  therefore,  are  in- 
capable of  following  Christ.  Says  the  scripture,  they  are  ^^dead 
in  trespasses  and  sins.^^  Spiritual  death  not  only  signifies  a  want 
of  life,  but  consists  of  positive  enmity  and  hatred  to  God  and  all 
his  ways.  "TAe  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God;  for  it  is  not 
subject  to  the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed  can  6e."  '"''And  God  saw  that 
the  wickedness  of  man  was  great  in  the  earth,  and  that  eve7yimag- 
ination  of  the  thoughts  of  his  heart  urns  only  evil  continually.''''  Un- 
regenerate  sinners  in  this  state  of  spiritual  death,  so  far  from  hav- 
ing any  disposition  to  follow  Christ,  spontaneously  choose  the 
ways  of  sin  and  death,  which  lead  to  hell.  Therefore,  before 
any  of  the  sons  of  men  will  attempt  to  follow  Christ,  they  must 
be  regenerated  by  the  mighty  power  and  agency  of  the  Spirit 
of  God. 

2nd.  Following  Christ  implies  a  knowledge  oihxm.  Nothing  is 
more  unreasonable  than  to  suppose  men  would  forsake  all  things 


TEKMS    OP    DISCIPLESHIP.  311 

for  an  unknown  object:  neither  will  any  one  follow  Christ, 
while  a  stranger  to  his  beauty,  his  excellency  and  preciousness. 
Then,  the  followers  of  Christ  have  a  knowledge  of  him — a  knowl- 
edge which  the  greatest  genius — the  wisest  philosopher — nor 
the  most  accomplished  scholar,  could  ever  attain  by  the  highest 
exertions  of  their  natural  powers; — a  knowledge  which  is  the 
very  essence  of  religion — and  contains  the  seeds  of  blessedness 
in  the  heavenly  stale.  '•''And  this  is  life  eternal^  that  they  might 
know  thee  the  only  true  God ^  and  Jesus  Christ  ichom  thou  hast 
sent.''''  It  is  a  knowledgeof  itself  so  desirable,  and  discovers  such 
pleasing  objects,  that  all  other  wisdom  compared  with  it  seems 
but  foolishness.  Paul,  who  was  a  wise  man,  an  accomplished 
scholar,  and  great  divine,  declares  that  he  '•^determined  not  to 
know  any  thing'''' '•'•save  Jesus  Christy  and  h'lm  crucified .''''  And 
when  speaking  of  his  great  natural  attainments,  concludes  by 
saying,  "Fea,  doubtless^  and  I  count  all  things  but  loss  for  the 
excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  my  Lord.''''  This  knowl- 
edge is  communicated  to  the  soul  by  the  power  and  agency  of  the 
Holy  Spirit. — '•'•For  God  ivho  commanded  the  light  to  shine  out  of 
darkness  ^hath  shined.  into  our  hearts^  to  give  the  light  of  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  glory  of  God,  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ.^'' 

3rd.  Following  Christ  implies  supreme  love  to  him — an  affec- 
tion for  him  above  every  other  object  in  heaven  or  earth.  It 
is  contrary  to  common  sense  to  suppose,  that  any  rational  man, 
would  leave  all  and  follow  Christ,  unless  he  loved  him  better  than 
all  things  else.  He  who  follows  Christ  loves  him  more  than  all 
the  world — more  than  father  and  mother,  brother  or  sister;  yea, 
more  than  life  itself:  and  his  love  for  these  is  hatred  when  com- 
pared with  his  love  for  Christ.  And  this  is  our  Lord's  meaning 
when  he  says,  "if  any  man  come  to  me,  and  hate  not  his  father 
and  mother,  and  wife,  and  children,  and  brethren,  and  sisters,  yea, 
and  his  own  life  also,  he  cannot  be  my  disciple.'''' 

4th.  It  implies,  also,  a  disposition  to  please  Christ — to  do  his 
will  and  keep  his  commandments,  This  is  the  criterion  laid  down 
by  himself,  by  which  his  followers  may  be  known — If  ye  love  me, 
keep  my  commandments''' — "Fe  are  my  friends,  if  ye  do  whatso- 
ever I  command  you.''^ — He  that  hath  my  commandments,  andkeep- 
eth  them,  he  it  is  that  loveth  me;  and  he  that  loveth  me  shall 
be  loved  of  my  Father,  and  I  will  love  him  and  manifest 
myself  to  him.''''  '•'•If  a  man  love  me,  he  will  keep  my  words; 
and  my  Father  will  love  him,  and  we  will  come  unto  him  and  make 
our  abode  with  him.  The  christian  is  one,  who  following  Christ 
endeavors  to  obey  all  his  commands,  and  strives  conscientiously 
to  perform  every  duty  he  owes  to  God  and  man.  He  loves  his 
neighbor  as  himself — he  does  to  others  what  he  would  have  them 
do  to  him — he  loves  his  enemies — blesses  them  that  curse  him — 
and  prays  for  them  who  despitefully  use  and  persecute  him. — 
He  worships  God  in  spirit  and  in  truth.    He  prays  with  all  man- 


312  TERMS    OF    DISCIPLESHIP. 

ner  of  prayer  and  supplication — and  whether  he  eats  or  drinks 
or  whatsoever  he  does,  he  does  all  to  the  glory  of  God. 

II.  Mention  some  particulars  in  which  the  genuine  christian 
follows  Christ. 

The  christian  follows  Christ  by  imitating  his  divine  character, 
copying  after  his  unparalleled  example,  and  drinking  in  his  spirit, 
temper  and  disposition.  There  are  a  great  many  little,  no  harm 
sins,  about  which  the  world  tells  us. — These  the  christian  never 
indulges:  from  these  things  he  is  entirely  free;  and  for  this  rea- 
son— they  are  not  to  be  found  in  the  life  and  character  of  Christ. 
Foolish  talking  and  jesting,  the  world  says,  are  innocent;  but 
they  are  expressly  forbidden  by  the  apostle.  Sabbath  day  amuse- 
ments, surely,  they  say,  are  not  sinful.  There  can  be  no  harm 
in  taking  a  civil  game  at  cards,  billiards  or  backgammon,  if  we 
play  only  for  amusement  and  not  for  money.  There  is  no  harm 
in  a  genteel  ball  or  dance  among  decent,  respectable  people, 
when  managed  with  politeness  and  good  order.  Yes,  my  friends, 
in  these  things  there  is  harm.  They  who  practice  them  are  in  a 
diflerent  road  from  that  which  Christ  travelled;  and  where  he  is, 
they  never  come.  Christ  never  played  cai'ds  nor  backgammon; 
he  was  never  in  a  ball  room,  nor  at  a  civil  dance;  and  I  am  con- 
fident that  none  of  his  followers  will  ever  be  seen  in  such  places. 

1st.  Christ  was  the  greatest  example  o{  meekness  and  humility 
the  world  ever  saw%  He  ever  treated  earthly  honors — the  es- 
teem and  applause  of  men,  with  a  holy  contempt.  When  the 
multitude,  enraptured  with  his  divine  miracles,  would  have  taken 
him  by  force  to  make  him  king,  he  withdrew  and  hid  himself. 
Often  when  he  performed  the  most  Godlike  miracles,  in  curing 
the  sick  and  relieving  the  distresed,  he  charged  them  to  tell  no 
man.  He  desired  not  his  own  glory  as  a  man,  but  the  glory  of 
his  heavenly  Father. 

In  this  the  christian  follows  Christ.  The  true  believer  is  hum- 
ble— of  a  meek  and  lowly  spirit.  The  more  religion  he  enjoys, 
and  the  more  he  grows  like  Jesus,  the  more  humble  he  becomes. 
Like  the  great  apostle  of  old,  he  always  looks  upon  himself  as 
the  chiet  of  sinners — the  least  of  all  saints — the  greatest  wonder 
of  divine  grace:  assenting  to  the  divine  precept,  he  esteems  every 
other  christian  better  than  himself.  When  he  has  just  concep- 
tions of  the  glory  of  God  as  it  shines  in  the  face  of  Jesus,  he  feels 
himself  less  than  nothing,  and  vanity.  He  is  struck  with  won- 
der and  astonishment,  that  ever  such  a  crawling  worm  of  the  dust 
should  have  found  mercy. 

2nd.  Christ  delighted  to  do  the  will  of  his  Father.  God's  law 
was  written  on  his  heart.  He  tells  us  that  it  was  his  meat  and 
drink  to  do  his  Father's  will.  In  this  too,  the  genuine  christian 
follows  his  Lord  and  Master.  The  love  of  God  is  sweeter  to  the 
taste  of  his  renewed  heart,  than  honey  dropping  from  the  comb. 


TERMS    OF   £)ISCIPL£SHIP.  313 

He  has  seen  every  sin  exhibited,  in  all  its  horrid,  hellish  malig- 
nity— in  its  dreadful  God-dishonoring  and  Christ-crucifying  na- 
ture. Therefore,  he  hates  sin,  in  some  degree,  as  God  hates  it. 
He  sees  the  law  to  be  so  holy,  so  pure — such  a  perfect  transcript 
and  image  of  the  moral  attributes  of  God — that  he  loves  it  and 
delights  in  itfrom  his  inmost  soul.  He  hungers  and  longs  to  be 
conformed  to  it.  The  heaven  which  his  soul  pants  and  thirsts 
to  obtain,  is  perfect  holiness — perfect  likeness  to  God  and  con- 
formity to  his  law.  Hence  it  is  that  the  christian  cannot  love 
or  practice  any  known  sin,  or  live  in  the  neglect  of  any  duty 
which  God  commands. 

3rd.  Christ  possessed  the  most  gracious  and  benevolent  dispo- 
sition toward  mankind.  His  whole  life  was  spent  in  doing 
good — in  conferring  blessings  spiritual  and  temporal  upon  the 
sons  of  men.  He  healed  the  sick,  relieved  the  distressed,  and 
taught  mankind,  by  precept  and  example,  their  duty  to  God  and 
man.  Well,  inasmuch  as  the  genuine  christian  partakes  of  the 
spirit  of  Christ,  he  imitates  him  in  this  also.  The  follower  of 
Jesus  loves  the  whole  human  race,  and  regards  with  feelings  of  be- 
nevolence and  compassion  even  his  most  malignant  and  invete- 
rate enemies.  He  loves  his  neighbor  as  himself.  He  embraces 
every  opportunity  of  doing  good  to  his  fellow-creatures — to  feed 
the  hungry — to  clothe  the  naked — and  relieve  the  distressed. 

4th.  Christ  was  truth :  there  was  no  guile  found  in  his  mouth. — 
The  same  disposition  exists  in  all  his  followers.  The  true  be- 
liever ever  speaks  the  truth,  to  his  fellow-men  without  deceit  or 
dissimulation.  In  all  his  dealings — in  all  his  contracts  and  com- 
mercial intercourse  with  the  world,  he  chooses  to  suffer  hisses, 
wrongs  and  injury,  rather  than  depart  from  the  truth  or  use  the 
smallest  deception. 

5th.  Christ  was  free  from  all  malice,  hatred  and  revenge.  He 
possessed  in  the  highest  degree  the  spirit  of  forgiveness.  When 
"Ae  loas  reviled^  he  reviled  not  again.''''  He  pitied  and  wept  over 
his  most  malicious  enemies.  He  prayed  for  the  pardon  of  his 
blood  thirsty  murderers,  and  that  too,  while  sporting  with  his 
groans,  and  mocking  his  agonies.  And  he  enjoined  this  gospel 
precept  upon  a\l  his  followers — ^^Love  your  enemies^  bless  thern 
that  curse  you,  do  good  to  them  that  hate  you,  and  pray  for  them 
which  despitefidly  use  you  and  persecute  you.'''' — And  all  true  be- 
lievers have  the  same  spirit  of  forgiveness — the  same  gentle  and 
benevolent  disposition,  in  some  degree,  that  was  in  Christ. 

6th.  Christ  was  fervent,  importunate  and  diligent  in  the  exer- 
cise of  prayer.  He  not  only  prayed  openly  as  a  public  teacher, 
and  socially  with  his  disciples,  but  it  seems  also  to  have  been  his 
practice  to  pray  in  secret;  and  sometimes  to  spend  whole  nights 
in  wrestling  with  God  in  prayer.  True  christians  follow  Christ 
in  this  particular. — They  are  all  praying  jpersojjs:  they  pray  in 


314  TERMS   OF   DISCIPL£SMIP. 

their  families,  with  the  utmost  importunity:  they  spend  much 
time  in  secret  prayer:  they  have  weighty  and  important  cases 
of  others  to  carry  to  a  prayer-hearing  God, and  many  bitter  com- 
plaints and  painful  petitions  of  their  own  to  bring  to  a  throne  of 
divine  grace:  they  cry  to  God  vehemently,  for  their  ungodly 
families,  who  are  on  the  broad  road  to  hell:  they  plead  for  the 
prosperity  of  Zion:  they  lift  their  voices  to  him  in  ardent  suppli- 
cation for  the  world  of  mankind  that  lieth  in  wickedness.  In 
8uch  cases,  they  wrestle  with  God,  they  plead  his  promises  and 
can  take  no  denial;  and,  indeed,  it  would  be  nothing  strange  if 
they  should  spend  whole  nights  in  prayer  as  Christ  did. 

Lastly.  Christ  was  absorbed  in  the  will  of  God.  In  all  his 
addresses  to  his  Father,  even  in  his  greatest  difficulties,  his  lan- 
guage is,  Father^  not  my  will,  but  thine  he  done.  This  the 
christian  imitates  also  and  shows  himself  a  follower  of  Christ. 
When  in  the  narrow  way,  walking  in  the  footsteps  of  Jesus,  let 
their  trials  and  difficulties  be  ever  so  great,  the  language  of  their 
inmost  souls  is.  Lord,  thy  will  be  done. 

I  will  give  you  now,  a  short  synopsis  of  the  christian's  charac- 
ter. He  is  a  heaven-born  soul — he  has  felt  the  pangs  of  the  new 
birth — he  has  entered  the  strait  gate  of  conversion.  He  can 
give  a  reason  for  his  hope,  and  tell  what  great  things  the  Lord 
has  done  for  his  soul.  He  has  the  knowledge  of  God  and  Jesus 
Christ  whom  he  hath  sent,  ia  his  soul,  which  is  eternal  life.  God, 
the  Father,  by  his  Spirit  has  revealed  to  his  heart  Jesus,  in  his 
person,  in  his  offices,  and  in  all  his  mediatorial  glory,  fullness  and 
suitableness.  He  loves  Christ  with  all  his  heart — more  than  the 
dearest  relations  on  earth — more  than  his  own  life.  He  loves 
the  law  of  God — he  delights  to  obey  his  command  and  do  what- 
soever pleases  him.  He  is  an  humble  creature:  like  a  little 
child,  he  is  ever  at  the  feet  of  Jesus,  willing  to  be  taught  and  de- 
siring to  know  more  and  more  concerning  him.  He  is  a  loving 
and  benevolent  creature:  he  loves  all  men:  he  loves  the  people 
of  God,  because  they  bear  the  image  of  Christ — speak  the  lan- 
guage of  the  heavenly  Canaan — and  are  brothers  and  sisters  in 
Christ,  and  are  travelling  with  him  to  the  paradise  of  God.  He 
loves  the  poor  unconverted — he  loves  and  pities  even  his  worst 
enemies:  he  feels  benevolence  and  compassion  towards  them, 
and  prays  for  them,  and  weeps  in  secret  for  them,  and  desires 
their  salvation  as  he  does  his  own.  He  is  free  from  all  malice, 
ill  will,  and  revenge.  He  cannot  indulge  such  hellish  feelings  as 
these  towards  any  of  the  human  race.  He  is  possessed  of  a  gen- 
tle and  forgiving  spirit.  He  renders  not  evil  for  evil;  but  repays 
evil  with  good.  He  is  a  praying  creature.  Spiritual  prayer  is 
the  very  breath  of  the  heaven  born  soul — and  in  all  things  he 
delights  to  do  his  heavenly  Father's  will. 


TERMS  OP  DISCIPLE9HIP.  315 

III.  We  will  now  say  something  of  bearing  the  cross  or  self- 
denial,  which  is  indispensably  connected  with  following  Christ. 

The  terms  upon  which  depends  the  salvation  or  damnation 
of  every  one  of  Adam's  race,  are  these:  Deny  yourself,  take 
up  the  cross  and  follow  Christ — Obey  and  you  shall  be  saved. 
Refuse  these  terms,  and  eternal  misery  and  death,  are  the  con- 
sequence. Multitudes  would  be  willing  to  follow  Christ,  if  it 
would  advance  their  popularity,  or  gain  them  the  applause  of 
the  world.  But  it  is  so  far  from  this,  that  Christ  has  told  his 
followers  that  they  ^^shall  be  hated  of  all  men''''  for  his  ''''name's 
sake-^''  that  if  the  world  hated  him  it  would  hate  them  also. — 
Many  would  wish  to  follow  Christ,  if  they  could  gain  the  riches, 
and  pleasures  of  the  world  by  it.  But  it  is  very  far  from  this. 
Christ  has  promised  that  in  this  world,  his  followers  shall  have 
tribulation;  for,  says  he,  "^/'  any  man  will  come  after  me,  let  him 
deny  himself  and  take  up  his  cross  and  follow  me,''''  The  ques- 
tion then,  is — Of  what  must  we  deny  ourselves,  if  we  would 
follow  Christ? 

1st.  We  must  deny  ourselves  of  the  love  and  practice  of 
every  sin  and  every  sinful  pleasure,  though  as  dear  as  a  right 
eye  or  hand.  We  must  deny  ourselves  of  all  our  little  sins — 
our  Sunday  visits  and  amusements — our  genteel  balls — harm- 
less frolics  and  dances — our  horse-racing — billiards  and  black- 
gammon.  We  cannot  follow  Christ  and  take  these  along.  We 
must  part  with  all  these  little  innocent  sins,  or  part  with  Christ. 
We  may  say,  I  think,  or  I  don't  think  so;  but  if  we  follow 
Christ,  it  must  be  as  he  thinks. 

If  we  would  follow  Christ,  we  must  deny  ourselves  of  every 
lawful  comfort  and  enjoyment,  so  far,  as  that  comfort  and  en- 
joyment becomes  our  idol.  If  we  love  father  or  mother,  more 
th;in  Jesus,  he  and  we  must  part.  If  we  love  husband  or  wife, 
or  the  tender  infant,  more  than  Christ,  or  even  ourselves,  Christ 
and  we  must  part.  He  must  be  "a/Z  and  in  aW  in  our  hearts 
and  aflections,  or  else  we  cannot  follow  him. 

But  again — Many  would  be  willing  to  follow  Christ,  if  the 
cross  were  not  in  the  way.  By  the  cross,  we  understand  all 
that  contempt,  reproach,  persecution,  and  sufferings  which 
christians  have  to  endure  for  Christ's  sake.  This  appears  more 
terrible  to  the  unconverted  than  death.  Therefore,  hundreds 
and  thousands  part  with  Christ,  rather  than  bear  the  cross. — 
Young  people  are  often  convinced  of  the  necessity  of  religion. 
Their  consciences  tell  them  that  all  is  wrong,  that  living  and 
dying  in  their  present  condition,  hell  must  be  their  portion. — 
They  would  deny  themselves  and  follow  Christ,  but  when  it 
comes  to  the  point,  the  cross  is  too  heavy.  To  bear  the  re- 
proaches, the  insults  and  ridicule,  of  their  vain  wicked  com- 
panions, appears    insurmountable.    This  is  a  solemn  crisis — 

46 


316  TERMS    OF     01iCIPLE8HIP. 

they  are  about  to  make  choice  for  eternity — either  to  take  the 
cross  und  follow  Christ,  or  part  forever  with  Christ  and  go  to 
hell  with  their  wicked  companions.  Others  are  almost  persua- 
ded to  start  for  heaven,  but  the  cross  seems  intolerable.  I 
would  be  willing,  say  they,  to  seek  religion  and  follow  Christ, 
but  my  parents  think  it  would  ruin  my  character.  My  father 
and  mother  would  be  as  much  distressed  to  see  me  a  praying 
penitent  or  an  humble  christian;  as  if  I  were  to  become  the 
object  of  public  odium  and  disgrace.  The  opposition  of  my 
parents  is  too  strong — the  cross  is  too  heavy.  But  remember, 
here  is  the  turning  point.  You  must  either  take  up  the  cross 
and  follow  Christ,  or  go  to  hell  with  your  parents.  Says  an- 
other, I  feel  strong  desires  to  serve  God,  but  my  husband  has 
no  taste  lor  religion,  and  would  wish  me  to  follow  the  popular 
vices  and  sinful  amusements  of  the  world.  My  wife  cannot 
bear  the  thought  of  my  becoming  a  praying  and  despised  fol- 
lower of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  publicly  owning  Christ  before  all 
men.  1  feel  the  cross  too  heavy  to  be  borne.  Recollect  your 
salvation  depends  upon  the  decision  you  now  make.  If  you 
take  up  the  cross  and  follow  Christ,  you  shall  have  eternal  life; 
if  you  deny  Christ  and  refuse  to  bear  the  cross,  you  must  be 
damned  in  hell,  with  your  wicked  husband  or  wife. 

In  the  sixteenth  century,  at  the  commencement  of  the  Re- 
formation, Galeacus  Carraccolus,  Marquis  of  Vico,  a  nobleman 
of  immense  wealth  and  popularity,  embraced  religion,  and  fell 
in  with  the  doctrines  of  the  reformation.  But  living  in  a  coun- 
try where  he  could  never  hear  the  gospel  preached  in  its  puri- 
ty, and  where  it  would  be  at  the  risk  of  his  life  for  him  to  es- 
pouse the  doctrines  of  the  reformation,  he  withdrew  privately 
from  his  family,  and  went  to  Geneva,  where  he  lived  in  great 
obscurity;  but  enjoyed  much  comfort  to  his  soul  under  the 
preaching  of  the  celebrated  John  Calvin.  After  several  years, 
he  paid  his  family  a  visit.  His  wife  and  children,  his  aged  pa- 
rents, relations  and  acquaintances  were  overjoyed  to  see  him. 
Every  argument  was  used  by  his  friends,  but  especially  his  wife 
and  parents  to  persuade  him  to  renounce  his  religion,  and  stay 
with  his  family.  They  held  up  to  him  his  popular  character,  his 
immense  wealth,  and  the  high  honors  and  dignities  which  he 
possessed.  They  set  before  him  the  poverty  and  obscurity 
which  he  must  endure  at  Geneva.  They  plead  the  unspeaka- 
ble grief  and  distress  his  conduct  would  bring  upon  his  affec- 
tionate wife,  his  tender  children,  and  his  aged  parents,  if  he 
should  forever  forsake  them.  Finding  that  flesh  and  blood 
could  not  withstand  the  temptations  which  were  every  day 
placed  before  him,  he  concluded  that  rather  than  be  tempted,  to 
deny  Christ,  he  would  hasten  his  departure.  The  solemn  and 
trying  time,  at  length  came,  wbeu  he  should  take  his  last  fare- 


TERMS    OF     DISCIPLESHIP.  317 

well  of  his  family.  His  aged  father  and  mother,  when  all  ar- 
guments and  entreaties  failed  to  detain  him,  cursed  him  by  eve- 
ry thing  sacred  and  dreadful — and  loaded  him  with  the  most 
bitter  and  cruel  anathemas.  His  loving  wife,  bathed  in  tears, 
and  almost  distracted,  clasped  her  arms  around  his  neck,  and 
with  cries  of  wo,  asked  him  if  the  tender  husband,  the  partner 
of  her  life,  with  whom  she  had  spent  so  many  happy  years, 
could  be  so  cruel  as  to  desert  her  forever.  His  daughter  seized 
him  round  the  knees,  and  with  vehement  outcries,  asked  him,  if 
the  affection  of  a  father  could  be  deaf  to  the  cries  of  his  child. 
Says  she,  I  came  from  your  bowels — I  am  part  of  yourself — 
can  you  be  so  cruel  as  to  desert  me  forever?  Relating  the  pas- 
sage, he  says,  "Now  I  felt  my  very  bowels  melt  within  me — 
the  current  of  natural  affection  ran  so  strong  that  I  was  almost 
overcome."  This  was  the  critical  moment.  He  must  deny  his 
family  or  Christ;  there  was  no  alternative.  But  Christ  he 
would  not  forsake.  He  sprang  with  violence — his  wife  and 
daughter  still  clinging  to  him,  and  forced  his  way — but  had 
even  to  trample  them  under  his  feet  before  he  could  extricate 
himself  from  them. 

Consider  what  dreadful  crosses  many  of  the  humble  follow- 
ers of  Christ  have  borne — what  sufferings  they  have  endured 
for  his  sake.  Read  the  history  of  the  ten  persecutions  under 
the  pagan  emperors  of  Rome.  Many  of  them  were  clothed  in 
the  skins  of  wild  beasts,  whilst  dogs  were  set  upon  them,  who 
tore  them  in  pieces.  Many  of  them  wrapped  in  sheets,  were 
dipped  in  pitch  and  tied  to  stakes  about  the  amphitheatres — 
and  there  set  on  fire  in  the  night,  to  give  light  to  the  profane 
multitudes  engaged  in  their  infernal  plays.  Some  had  their 
flesh  cut  off  with  knives,  piece  by  piece,  from  their  bones,  be- 
ginning at  the  extremities  of  their  bodies;  so  that  before  their 
vitals  were  touched,  they  were  nearly  reduced  to  skeletons. — 
Read  the  sufferings  of  the  people  of  God  in  Scotland,  in  the 
reigns  of  James  II,  and  Charles  II,  when,  by  the  conventicle 
law,  not  more  than  six  persons  durst  be  seen  together  under 
pain  of  death;  when  they  durst  not  meet  on  the  Sabbath  in  the 
stated  places  of  public  worship;  but  were  obliged  to  meet  in 
the  mountains — in  thickets  and  desert  places:  while  companies 
of  lighthorse  were  riding  about  to  search  for  them  and  when 
discovered,  to  shoot  them,  or  drag  them  to  prisons,  and  then  to 
be  hanged  or  beheaded;  while  many  of  them  were  first  tortured 
in  the  most  inhuman  manner:  their  thumbs  screwed  oft' — their 
legs  put  into  iron  boots  and  wedged  until  the  bone  was  shiver- 
ed to  pieces. 

Would  we  not  have  very  small  worshiping  congregations  in 
Henderson  county,  if  every  person  who  went  to  meeting  un 
the  Sabbath,  went  at  the  risk  of  being  shot  down,  or  thrown 
into  a  dungeon,  or  hanged,  beheaded  or  tortured  to  de'ath? 


SERMON  XXIX. 


NATURE  AND  NECESSITY  OF  FAITH, 


^^But  without  faith  it  is  impossible  to  please  him.^^     Hebrews, 
xi,  6. 


The  great  object  of  the  apostle  in  this  epistle,  is,  to  shew  the 
vast  superiority  of  the  gospel,  above  the  legal  or  typical  dispen- 
sation. And  he  establishes  this,  by  shewing  that  Christ,  the 
glorious  antitype,  had  actually  come,  and  by  the  sacrihce  of 
himself  had  fulfilled  and  accomplished  every  tittle  to  the  Mosaic 
dispensation — that  new  life  and  immortality  were  brought  to 
light — a  full  and  complete  salvation  provided — and  that  all 
things  were  now  ready  on  God's  part.  In  the  tenth  chapter  he 
urges  the  necessity  of  faith  as  the  great  interesting  means,  by 
which  lost  sinners  of  Adam's  race,  can  be  made  partakers  of 
the  blessings  and  benefits  of  Christ's  sacrifice  and  death.  In 
this,  he  defines  the  nature  of  faith,  and  descends  to  plain  mat- 
ters of  fact,  to  illustrate  its  excellency  and  divine  efficiency. 
^^Faith^  says  he,  "is  the  substance  of  things  hoped  for  ^  the  evi- 
dence of  things  not  seen.'''' 

The  jiious  Erskine,  remarking  upon  this  passage,  says,  that 
as  a  man  looks  upon  his  bonds,  his  deeds,  and  patents,  and  oth- 
er unquestionable  securities,  though  they  are  but  pieces  of  pa- 
per or  parchment,  yet  they  are  the  substance,  and  sure  evi- 
dence to  him,  of  genuine  wealth  and  property.  So  the  true 
believer — the  genuine  christian,  looks  upon  God's  covenant — 
his  word  and  promises,  as  the  sure  and  unquestionable  evidence 
oi  his  obtaining  an  eternal,  never-fading  crown  of  glory — a 
kingdom  that  was  prepared  for  him  before  the  foundation  of  the 
world — an  mheritance  incorruptible,  nndefiled  and  that  never 
fades  away. 

He  then  proceeds  to  enumerate  a  long  catalogue  of  eminent 
worthies  among  the  Old  Testament  saints,  who  effected  many 
and  wonderful  exploits  by  the  life  and  exercise  of  this  precious 


NATURE    AND    NECESSITY  OF    VAITH.  31Q 

grace  of  faith.  He  tells  us  that  it  was  by  the  exercise  of  faith, 
that  the  sacrifice  of  Abel  was  accepted,  and  his  person  ac- 
counted righteous  before  God;  while  Cain  and  his  ofteringwere 
rejected.  He  next  informs  us,  that  the  piety  and  holiness  of 
Enoch — his  walking  with  God — the  life  of  sanctification  in  his 
soul  refining  into  the  perfection  of  blessedness — and  his  trans- 
lation to  the  heavenly  world  were  the  fruits,  ettects,  and  conse- 
quences of  a  living  faith.  The  argument  which  he  ofiers  to  es- 
tablish the  doctrine,  is  that  before  his  translation  he  had  this  tes- 
timony; that  he  pleased  God.  As  if  he  should  say,  if  he  pleas- 
ed God,  then,  faith  in  Jesus  Christ  must  have  been  the  source  of 
his  holy  walk  with  God;  for  in  the  words  of  the  text,  he  draws 
this  conclusion — '•'' With 021 1  faith  it  is  impossible  to  please  him.'''' 

In  these  words  are  two  things  worthy  of  observation:  1st. 
Faith,  the  faith  of  God's  elect,  the  radical  grace  which  receives 
Christ,  feeds  upon  him,  and  unites  the  soul  to  him:  that  faith 
which  is  the  instrumental  cause,  by  which  the  life  of  grace  is 
implanted  in  the  soul — by  which  it  is  nourished  and  supported, 
and  by  which  it  ripens  into  the  life  of  glory.  2nd.  What  is 
predicated  of  this  faith.  It  pleases  God;  it  chooses  the  very 
way,  and  acts  upon  the  very  plan,  which  brings  the  highest 
tribute  of  glory  to  all  the  attributes  of  God.  Faith  grasps  and 
holds  fast  by  the  incarnate  God;  it  feeds  and  lives  upon  his 
meditation  and  atonement;  it  delights  in  the  law  of  God,  and 
to  do  his  will.  From  Christ's  fullness,  it  daily  draws  aid  to  per- 
form the  divine  commands,  from  proper  motives,  and  to  riofht 
ends.  Therefore,  without  this  faith  it  is  impossible  to  please 
him. 

In  attending  to  the  farther  discussion  of  this  subject,  we  shall 

I.  Speak  of  faith — its  nature  and  operations. 

II.  Prove  the  assertion  in  the  text,  ^^  Without  faith  it  is  im- 
possible to  please  him.'''' 

I.  We  are  to  speak  of  faith.  1st.  Faith  in  Jesus  Christ, 
the  faith  of  God's  elect,  which  is  more  precious  than  gold,  and 
which  pleases  God,  is  not  a  simple  belief  of  the  written  word 
and  promises  of  God,  by  the  exertion  of  our  natural  powers, 
as  many  presumptuously  assert:  such  a  faith  the  formalist  hypo- 
crite and  devils  may  possess.  Like  the  altar  Paul  saw  on  Mars' 
hill  dedicated  to  the  "unknown  God;"  such  a  faith  has  an  un- 
known Christ  for  its  object,  and  therefore  cannot  be  the  faith 
that  pleases  God. 

2nd.  The  faith  in  Christ  which  pleases  God,  is  not  what 
some  call  a  faith  of  evidence,  which  may  give  such  an  assent  to 
the  truth  of  the  Bible  as  may  alarm  conscience,  and  excite  to 
some  partial  reformations.  Such  a  faith  as  this,  had  Judas,  Si- 
mon Magus,  and  other  reprobates;  and  the  apostle  James  tells 
us,  "i/ie  devils  also  believe  and  tremble.'''' 


320  NATURE    AND    NECESSITY    OF    FAITH. 

3rd.  It  is  not  what  divines  have  called,  temporary  faith; 
(Buch  as  the  stoney  ground  hearers  had.  In  this  case,  we  see 
something  like  faith,  yet  possessing  nothing  of  its  essence. — 
They  heard  the  word  with  joy — received  it  gladly — for  a  time 
it  influenced  their  lives  and  conduct — they  made  a  flaming  pro- 
fession of  religion — felt  great  joy  and  pleasure  in  its  duties — and 
for  a  while  could  not  be  distinguished  from  the  genuine  followers 
of  Christ;  yet  the  faith  which  pleases  God  never  existed  in  their 
hearts.  This  is  evident  from  our  Lord's  declaration — '-^Because 
they  had  no  root,  they  ivithered  away:^^  that  is,  they  had  no  spirit- 
ual life  in  them;  therefore,  when  persecution,  tribulation,  and 
strong  temptations  came,  they  forsook  Christ  and  turned  back 
into  the  world. 

Some  persons  pretend  to  say,  that  there  is  no  description  or 
definition  of  faith  in  scripture,  separate  from  the  simple  belief, 
that  the  scriptures  are  true,  and  that  Christ  is  the  son  of  God; 
that  every  idea  of  saving  faith  wrought  in  the  soul  by  the  power 
and  agency  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  is  groundless  and  unscriptu- 
ral.  Permit  me  to  inquire,  if  any  distinction  can  be  made  upon 
scriptural  principles,  between  head  and  heart  religion.  The 
same  distinction  I  apprehend  can  be  made,  between  a  faith  of 
the  head,  and  a  faith  of  the  heart.  In  the  twelfth  chapter  of 
John,  we  are  told  of  some  that  believed  in  Christ,  but  did  not 
confess  him  before  the  world;  because  ^Hhey  loved  the  jo'-ais^  of 
men  more  than  the  praise  of  God.  This  could  not  have  been 
the  faith  of  the  elect  which  pleases  God. 

Many,  again,  believed  on  him,  and  were  called  his  disciples 
too;  but  when  he  preached  spiritual,  soul-searching  doctrine  to 
them,  that  except  they  ate  hisjlesh  and  drank  his  blood,  they  had 
no  life  in  them;  they  were  oliended  and  forsook  him,  and 
^'walked  no  more  with  him.^^  These  certainly  were  destitute  of 
genuine  faith. 

But  how  did  it  come  to  pass,  that  Simon  Peter  did  not  for- 
sake him  and  go  away  with  the  rest?  The  reason  was,  he  had 
that  faith  which  pleases  God.  When  our  Lord  proposes  to  the 
twelve — "Jn//  ye  also  go  away?^''  Simon  Peter  answers, 
^^Lord,to  whom  shall  ive  go?  thou  hast  the  ivords  of  eternal  life. 
And  we  believe  and  are  siax  that  thou  art  that  Christ  the  Son  of 
the  living  God.''''  Hovi^  did  Peters  faith  arrive  at  this  knowl- 
edge? The  Lord  Jesus  himself  tells  us.  Christ  asks  of  his 
disciples — '''•But  whom  say  ye,  that  I  am?  And  Simon  Peter  an- 
swered  and  said.  Thou  art  the  Christ,  the  Soji  of  the  living  God. 
And  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto  him.  Blessed  art  thou  Simon 
Bar-jona,  for  flesh  and  blood  hath  not  revealed  it  unto  thee,  hid 
my  Father  which  is  in  heaven."''' 

James  tells  us  of  a  dead  and  a  living  faith.  A  ''faith  without 
works,''^  that  is  dead;  but  a  living  faith  manifests  its  heaven 
born  nature  by  works  of  obedieuqe. 


NATURE    AND    NECESSITY    OP    FAITH.  321 

How  different  was  the  faith  of  Simon  Magus,  from  that  of 
Lydia.  He  believed  and  was  baptized;  but  presently  he  prov- 
ed by  the  blackest  evidences,  that  he  was  '"in  the  gull  of  bitter- 
ness and  in  the  bond  of  iniquity."'  But  Lydia's  was  the  faith 
that  pleased  God ;  for  when  she  believed,  the  Lord  opened  her 
heart. 

One  distinguishing  characteristic  of  saving  faith  held  put  in 
scripture,  is,  a  bdieving  uith  the  heart:  '•^For  with  the  heart  man 
believeth  unto  righteousness.'''  Said  the  eunuch,  "*Scc  here  is 
water;  what  doth  hinder  me  to  be  baptized?  And  Philip  said,  If 
thou  believest  with  all  thine  heart,  thou  mayest.''''  From  all  which 
it  is  evident  that  faith  contains,  not  only  the  clear  and  full  con- 
viction of  the  unquestionable  certainty  of  divine  truth,  but  also 
the  heart's  choice  of  it.  The  understanding  is  convinced  of 
the  truth  of  God's  precious  word — of  the  divinity  and  satisfac- 
tion of  Christ — his  sufficiency,  suitableness  and  willingness  to 
save;  and,  at  the  same  moment,  the  heart  chooses  him — re- 
ceives him — delights  in  him,  and  confides  its  all  to  him.  And 
hence  it  is,  that  the  lively  exercise  of  faith,  and  divine  joy  and 
comfort  are  inseparably  connected.  Says  Peter,  ^'Believing  ye 
rejoice  icith  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory.''''  This  is  evident 
also  from  plain  facts.  The  eunuch,  when  he  believed  in  Christ, 
went  on  his  way  rejoicing;  the  jailor  when  he  received  Christ 
rejoiced  in  God,  with  all  his  house. 

Since  the  world  has  been  filled  with  definitions  of  faith — 
some  orthodox,  and  others  extremely  absurd  and  unscriptural; 
perhaps  the  surest  definitions  of  it,  are  those  which  the  Spirit  of 
God  has  given  in  the  word  of  truth. 

1st.  It  is  a  receiving  of  Oirist,  as  a  beggar  receives  alms, 
or  any  one  a  free  and  unmerited  gift.—  ''^But  as  many  as  receiv- 
ed him,  to  them  gave  he  power  to  become  the  sons  of  God,  even  to 
them  that  believe  on  his  name.''"' 

2nd.  A  flying  to  Christ,  in  allusion  to  the  man  slayer  under 
the  law,  who  fled  to  the  city  of  refuge,  as  his  only  hope  of  es- 
caping the  avenger  of  blood.  Therefore,  by  the  apostle  it  is 
styled  a  fleeing  '•for  refuge  to  lay  hold  upon  the  hope  set  before 
us.'''' 

3rd.  It  is  termed  a  looking  to  Christ:  in  reference  to  the 
serpent-stung  Israelites,  who  looked  upon  the  brazen  serpent  fix- 
ed on  a  pole  in  the  midst  of  the  camp,  and  found  immediate  re- 
lief. '  Look  unto  me  and  be  ye  saved  all  the  ends  of  the  earth.''"' 
^^They  shall  look  upon  me  whom  they  have  pierced.''''  Looking 
unto  Jesus  the  author  and  finisher  of  our  faith.'''' 

4th.  It  is  termed  the  sonV?,  feeding  upon  Christ:  eating  him 
and  drinking  his  blood,  as  may  be  seen  at  large  in  John  vi. 
which  plainly  intimates  that  the  believing  soul,  by  faith,  does  as 


^22  Nature  and  necessity  op  faith. 

really  take  hold  of  Christ  and  use   him  for  all  the  purposes  of 
salvation,  as  the  hungry  man  receives  and  eats  food. 

Our  Westminster  divines  define  faith  to  be,  "a  saving  grace 
whereby  we  receive  Christ  and  rest  upon  him  for  all  the  pur- 
poses of  our  salvation."  According  to  this  definition,  there 
are  three  things  contained  in  the  idea  of  faith,  viz.  1st.  The 
soul's  seeing  Christ,  or  receiving  him  in  his  word  and  promises; 
2nd.  The  heart's  choosing,  acquiescing  and  delighting  in  the 
terms  upon  which  he  is  ofiered;  3rd.  The  soul's  trusting,  rest- 
ing and  relying  upon  him  for  wisdom,  righteousness,  sanctifica- 
tion  and  redemption. 

Faith  also  implies,  a  deep  and  solemn  conviction  of  sin;  a 
knowledge  of  God;  and  that  the  will  chooses  him. 

But  before  we  dismiss  the  subject,  we  will  make  a  few  ob- 
servations upon  the  nature  and  exercise  of  faith. 

1st.  Faith  is  not  an  occasional  act  which  takes  place  in  the 
believer's  life,  in  the  hour  of  conversion  to  God,  when  he  first 
lays  hold  on  Christ  for  salvation;  but  is  an  abiding  principle 
which  runs  through  every  part  of  the  life  of  sanctification.  As 
the  infant  lives  upon  its  mother's  breast,  and  derives  its  whole 
nourishment,  support,  and  daily  growth  from  her,  so,  faith  lives 
and  depends,  daily,  upon  Christ  for  righteousness  and  strength, 
and  for  constant  supplies  of  divine  grace,  by  which  the  soul 
grows  from  strength  to  strength,  until  it  arrives  at  the  stature 
of  a  perfect  man  in  Christ  Jesus.  This  is  the  meaning  of  the 
apostle  when  he  says,  "/  am  crucified  with  Christ;  nevertheless 
I  live;  yet  not  /,  hut  Christ  liveth  in  me:  and  the  life  which  I 
now  live  inthejlesh,  I  live  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God  who 
loved  me  and  gave  himself  for  me.'''' 

2nd.  Faith  is  the  bond  which  unites  the  believing  soul  to 
Christ;  as  the  branch  is  united  to  the  vine;  or  as  the  body  and 
its  members  are  united  to  the  head.  It  is  the  eye  by  which 
the  soul  views  the  king  in  his  beauty — that  sees  Christ  in  all  his 
offices.  It  is  the  hand  of  the  soul,  that  takes  hold  of  Christ  in 
his  word  and  promises,  and  applies  him  to  the  heart,  in  all  its 
needy  cases  and  circumstances.  In  a  word,  faith  is  the  feet  of 
the  soul  which  keeps  it  daily  travelling  between  its  own  emp- 
tiness and  depravity,  and  the  boundless  fullness  and  sufficiency 
of  Christ.  Every  step  of  the  christian's  pious  walk  with  God — 
every  act  of  holy  obedience — every  victory  he  gains  over  sin 
and  *  the  world  and  every  pious  breathing  of  the  heart  after 
God  and  holiness,  springs  from  the  living  exercise  of  faith  in 
the  blood  of  Christ;  and,  hence  it  is,  that  our  Lord  tells  his  dis- 
ciples, ''^Without  me  ye  can  do  nothing.''''  And  says  Paul,  "/ 
can  do  all  things  through  Christ,  ichich  strengtheneth  me,''''  In- 
deed, ^'•without  faith  it  i  impossible  to  please  GodJ''' 


NATURE  ANB  NKCESSlTY  OP   FAITH. 


323 


II.  We  are  now  to  prove  that  it  is  impossible  to  please  God 
"without  faith. 

Multitudes  m  the  present  day,  boast  that  they  are  good  men — 
good  citizens--good  neighbors — good  members  of  society; — 
they  are  just  and  honest— charitable  and  benevolent:  they 
boast  a  thousand  good  actions  which  they  have  done,  and  if 
they  are  not  saved,  the  Lord  pity  the  world.  But  they  will  tell 
you,  that  regeneration,  conversion,  or  a  sensible  experience  of 
the  pardoning  love  of  God,  is  a  dark  mystery  to  them — they 
know  nothing  about  it.  Let  all  such  good  characters — good 
actions  and  flattering  hopes  of  heaven — be  brought  to  the  law 
and  the  testimony;  let  them  be  weighed  in  the  balances,  and 
they  will  be  found  wanting. — For  the  God  of  truth  hath  declar- 
ed; ''^Without  faith  it  is  impossible  to  phase  him,'''' 

Many  presume  to  say,  that  all  actions  of  the  unconverted 
and  all  their  duties,  if  materially  good,  are  pleasing  and  accept- 
able in  the  sight  of  God. — But  if  the  Bible  be  true,  the  Judge 
of  quick  and  dead  says  differently. — '•^Without  faith  it  is  imjws- 
sible  to  please  him.''''  And  this  solemn  assertion  it  is  now  our 
business  to  prove. 

1st.  The  soul  void  of  faith  is  dead,  morally  and  spiritually 
dend — '•'•Dead  in  trespasses  and  5zw5."  Therefore,  it  is  as  much 
incapable  of  actions  spiritually  good,  and  pleasing  to  God,  as 
the  dry  bones  scattered  over  the  valley,  of  reanimating  them- 
selves and  performing  the  actions  of  living  men.  Desperate 
wickedness,  and  the  unconquerable  enmity  of  the  heart,  are  the 
causes  of  this  spiritual  death  or  moral  inability,  that  unfit  the 
unregenerate  soul  to  perform  actions  acceptable  to  God. 

The  soul  or  spiritual  part  of  man,  is  called  in  scripture  the 
heart,  inasmuch  as  it  is  to  the  whole  man,  what  the  heart  is  to 
the  body.  The  heart  is  the  spring  of  all  animal  motion,  and  the  soul 
the  source  of  spiritual  motion.  From  it  proceed  all  wickedness  and 
depravity.  Says  our  Lord;  ^'Out  of  the  heart  of  man  proceed  evil 
thougts,hadulterieSffornications,  murders,  thefts,  covefousness,  wick- 
edness, deceit,  lasciviousness,  an  evil  eye,  blasphemy, pride,  foolish- 
ness.'" 

Such  is  the  description  given  of  the  hearts  of  all  unregene- 
rate sinners,  by  God  himself;  therefore,  all  their  thoughts,  words 
and  actions,  must  be  sinful  in  his  sight. — For  a  polluted  fountain 
cannot  send  forth  pure  water,  and  says  the  wise  mkn,  "/Ae  plough- 
ing of  the  wicked  is  sin,''''  That  is,  even  the  best  actions  of  the 
unrenewed  man  are  sinful  and  abominable  to  God. 

2nd.  The  soul  destitute  of  faith  cannot  please  God,  because 
unbelief  is  the  ruling  principle  of  all  its  actions;  and  therefore, 
instead  of  pleasing,  these  actions  offer  the  highest  affront  to  the 
eternal  God;  for  they  declare  him  to  be  a  liar,  and  treat  him 
with  the  lowest  contempt. 

41 


324  NATURE    AND  NBCESSITT  OF    FAITH* 

Faith  is  the  predominant  principle  in  the  believer's  soul  5  it 
gives  the  highest  honor  to  all  the  attributes  of  God;  it  ever 
chooses  and  delights  in  the  very  plan  of  salvation,  which  pre- 
sents the  most  lovely  and  glorious  display  of  all  the  divine  per- 
fections* But  unbelief  the  direct  opposite,  or  total  want  of 
faith,  treats  with  disdain  the  divine  laws  and  authority — treats 
Christ,  the  co-equal  and'co-eternal  Son  of  God,  the  unspeaka- 
ble gift  of  God,  the  Father,  with  all  the  salvation  and  everlast- 
ing blrssedness  which  he  has  purchased  by  his  bloody  sufferings 
and  dying  agonies,  it  treats  all  this  as  too  contemptible  and  de- 
grading for  its  notice;  yea,  every  thought,  word  and  action  of 
the  sinner  out  of  Christ — and  under  The  power  of  unbelief,  are 
so  many  acts  of  the  most  hostile  rebellion  against  God,  and  aim 
at  nothing  less  than  to  blot  out  his  love,  extinguish  his  glory, 
and  annihilate  his  Being.  An  awful  demonstration  this  of  the 
truth  of  the  apostle's  declaration, "  Whatsoeve?^  is  not  of  faith  is  sin.^^ 

And  now,  let  us  notice  some  objections  which  may  be  made 
to  this  doctrine. 

1st.  If  this  doctrine  be  true — that  without  faith  it  is  impossible 
to  please  God — and  if  every  action  which  is  not  of  faith  is  sin; 
if  the  sinner  is  morally  and  spiritually  dead,  and  altogether  unable 
to  please  God — incapable  of  believing  and  coming  to  Christ  of 
himself, — then  is  he  not  excusable  while  living  in  sin  and 
wickedness?  Is  not  inability  a  great  reasonable  excuse?  To 
this  I  answer — that  if  the  inability  were  natural,  then  there 
would  be  some  color  of  excuse;  but  the  sinners'  inability  is 
moral,  and  therefore  desperate  wickedness — positive  enmity 
against  God.  Of  course,  then,  it  can  be  no  excuse. — Suppose 
a  master  were  to  order  his  servant  to  yoke  the  plough,  and 
plough  an  acre  of  ground  in  a  day,  and  this  servant  had  both 
hands  and  feet  cut  off;  and  therefore,  wanting  all  power  to  do 
so. — This  would  be  natural  inability  and  a  reasonable  excuse. 
But  suppose  the  same  task  were  given  a  servant,  who  had  hands 
and  feet  and  w4ien  his  master  would  go  to  the  field  to  see  what 
he  had  done,  and  should  find  that  he  had  not  attempted  the 
task — and  when  he  asks  the  servant  why  he  had  not  performed 
so  reasonable  a  command,  he  would  reply,  I  hated  you  with  such 
a  perfect  hatred,  that  I  had  no  will  or  disposition  to  do  any  thing 
which  pleases  you.  On  the  contrary,  it  is  my  delight  to  do 
"whatsoever  vexes  and  grieves  you.  So  great  is  my  enmity 
against  you,  that  I  could  not,  and  would  not,  do  what  you  had 
commanded  me.  This  is  moral  inability — this  is  the  sinner's 
inability,  and  his  cfl'n??o/,  isjust  he  will  not.  And  is  such  inability 
an  excuse  for  sin?  Is  it  not  rather  an  aggravation  of  its  guilt? 

Were  a  murderer  brought  before  the  court  to  be  tried  for 
shedding  his  neighbor's  blood,  and  were  he  to  tell  the  judge,  I 
hated  my  neighbor — such  was  my  malice  and  enmity  against 


NATURE    AND    NECESgiTT    OF     FAlTH.  S25 

him — that  I  could  not  forbear  taking  his  life — think  you  this 
would  excuse  him?  Nhv,  it  would  greatly  aggravate  his  case. 
The  sinner's  inability,  then,  so  far  from  securing  him  from  the 
penalty  of  the  law,  will  prove  the  provoking  cause  of  his  dam- 
nation. 

2nd.  If  it  be  true  that  without  faith  it  is  impossible  to  please 
God — if  the  sinner  has  no  will  to  serve  God — no  power  to  for- 
sake sin  or  to  believe  and  come  to  Christ — what  encouragement 
has  he  to  attempt  to  do  any  thing?  I  will  tell  you  what  he 
should  do,  and  what  God  requires  of  him.  He  should  exert  all 
his  powers  in  the  use  of  the  means  appointed  and  given  him. 
He  has  natural  power  to  go  to  a  ball  and  dance  and  frolic  with 
the  wicked — he  could,  by  exerting  the  same  power — stay  at 
home,  pray,  and  read  the  word  of  God.  He  can  go  to  the  tav- 
ern and  get  drunk — and  he  could  also  go  to  the  house  of  God 
and  hear  the  gospel  preached.  He  has  the  power  to  call  upon 
the  Most  High  to  damn  his  soul  in  hell — and  he  could  easily  cry 
to  God  for  mercy  and  beseech  him  for  the  forgiveness  of  his 
sins.  The  sinner  has  the  same  natural  power  to  forsake  wicked 
company — and  his  outbreaking  sins — to  pray  and  seek  religion — 
as  he  has  to  plough  the  ground  and  plant  his  corn. 

But  here  his  daring  wickedness  evinces  his  moral  inability. 
He  will  go  into  wicked  company — he  will  attend  balls  and  frol- 
ics— he  will  neither  pray  nor  read  the  Bible — he  ivill  not  keep 
the  Sabbath,  neither  will  he  attend  the  preaching  of  the  word; 
therefore  his  damnation  is  just — his  b.'ood  lies  at  his  own  door. 

3rd.  But,  says  the  sinner — If  I  believed  that  ''witlwut  faith  it 
was  impossible  to  please'''  God, — that  '•''ichat soever  is  not  of  faith 
is  5?n" — that  my  best  prayer  and  duties  were  sinful, — then  I 
would  never  pray  and  seek  religion. 

To  this  I  will  answer — If  ever  you  get  the  eyes  of  your  under- 
standing opened  to  see  your  heart  to  be,  as  God's  word  describes 
it — if  ever  you  are  brought  to  feel  to  your  inmost  soul  that 
your  best  prayers  and  duties  are  wickedness  in  the  sight  of 
God, — then  is  the  time  you  will  begin  to  pray — then  your  cries 
for  mercy  will  pierce  the  very  heavens. 

4th.  But,  says  the  smner,  does  God  command  me  to  pray 
when  I  have  no  faith,  and  when  all  my  prayers  are  sin?  Does 
he  command  me  to  believe,  when  I  have  no  more  power  to  ex- 
ercise faith,  than  to  create  a  world,  and  yet  declares  that  I  shall 
be  damned  if  I  do  not  believe?  Does  God  command  impossi- 
bilities, and  damn  me  for  not  doing  that,  which  I  have  no  power 
to  do?  The  carnal  heart  boils  with  the  enmity  of  a  devil  at 
this. 

I  answer — God  commands  nothing  unjust  or  unreasonable. — 
He  is  the  righteous  Lord  and  Sovereign  of  the  Universe;  he  iis 
a  right  to  command,  and  it  is  our  duty  to  obey.     Our  inability  is 


32S  NATURE    AND    NECESSITY    OF    FAITH, 

caused  by  our  own  sin,  and  is  no  excuse  for  disobedience.  Has 
not  the  creditor  a  right  to  demand  his  own — even  when  the 
debtor,  by  dissipation  and  extravagance,  has  wasted  all  his  prop- 
erty and  has  nothing  to  pay! 

But  again,  Jehovah  demands  nothing  unreasonable.  He  com- 
mands the  sinner  to  pray — to  repent  and  believe  in  Christ. — 
But  he  offers  his  almighty  power  to  enable  him  to  perform  all  that 
he  commands.  He  directs  the  sinner  to  the  use  of  the  means 
which  he  has  appointed;  and  to  the  use  of  these  he  has  annexed 
the  most  gracious  and  encouraging  promises.  But  the  sinner 
will  not  use  these  means — he  will  not  try  to  obey  the  commands 
of  God;  and  therefore,  all  the  dreadful  impossibilities  lie  not  in 
God;  but  are  chargeable  to  the  horrid,  hellish  enmity  and  wick- 
edness of  the  sinner's  heart — andof  course,  through  all  eternity, 
it  will  appear  just,  that  he  that  will  not  believe  shall  be  damned. 


SERMON   XXX. 


NATURE  AND  TENDENCY  OF  UNBEIilEF, 


^^He  that  helieveth  not  shall  he  dajnnedJ'''     Mark,  xvi.    16. 


This  chapter  is  the  conclusion  of  the  most  interesting  and 
important  history,  penned  since  the  commencement  of  time. 
It  contains  the  incarnation,  the  humihation,  the  bloody  death, 
the  triumphant  resurrection,  and  glorious  ascension,  of' the  Son 
of  God.  Here  we  see  the  accomplishment  of  the  designs,  oi 
the  eternal  counsel  of  the  Godhead.  Here  we  behold  the  free 
and  unmerited  love  of  God  displayed  in  the  purchase  of  a  com- 
plete salvation  of  men  and  angels,  and  all  the  attributes  and 
perfections  of  Deity,  meet  in  universal  harmony.  Mercy  and 
truth,  righteousness  and  peace,  salute  each  other  in  perfect  ac- 
cordance. The  door  of  hope  is  opened  through  which  pardon, 
salvation  and  eternal  life  may  be  communicated  to  guilty, 
wretched  and  hell  deserving  rebels.  The  price  of  the  sinner's 
ransom  is  paid,  and  the  holy  and  inflexible  justice  of  God  has 
received  complete  satisfaction,  in  the  rich  streams  of  Divine 
blood.  The  gate  of  Paradise  is  no  longer  shut — no  flaming 
cherub  or  avenging  sword  obstructs  the  passage.  The  marriage 
supper  of  the  Lamb  is  prepared.  The  servants  are  sent  out  in 
every  direction — through  the  lanes  and  streets — the  hedges  and 
highways,  that  lead  to  hell  to  call  and  invite  poor  lost  sinners — 
to  tell  them  to  come  for  all  things  are  now  ready — to  urge  and 
entreat  them  and  if  possible  compel  them  to  come. 

Our  Lord  having  finished  his  mediatorial  work  upon  Earth — 
having  instructed  and  ordained  his  apostles,  and  furnished  them 
with  all  gifts  and  graces  necessary  to  their  arduous  and  impor- 
tant duties — and  being  just  ready  to  ascend  to  his  native  heaven, 
to  fill  the  mediatorial  seat  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Father, — 
commands  them  to  go  into  all  the  world  and  preach  the  gospel 
to  every  creature.  And  then,  in  the  verse  of  which  our  text  is 
part,  he  informs  them  of  the  solemn  and  awfully  important  con- 
sequences, of  receiving,  or  rejecting  the  ofiers  of  mercy,  salva- 


328  NATURE  AND  TKNDKNCT  01^  UNBELIEF. 

tion,  and  eternal  life. — "JZe  that  believeth  and  is  baptised,  shall 
be  saved;  but  he  that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned.''' 

Our  subject  naturally  divides  itself  into  two  particulars — 
unbelief,  and  its  tremendous  consequences — irrecoverable  dam- 
nation.    Then  in  the  discussion  of  the  subject  we  shall 

I.  Speak  of  unbelief,  its  nature  and  tendency. 

II.  Say  something  of  that  damnation,  which  is  its  inevitable 
consequence. 

I.  We  are  to  speak  of  unbelief,  its  nature  and  tendency. 

Unbelief  is  the  rejecting  of  truth,  and  treating  it  as  falsehood. 
It  is  refusing  to  examine  the  force  of  evidence,  and  rejecting  the 
light  of  testimony.  It  is  the  direct  oppposite  of  faith,  which  is 
defined  in  scripture  to  be  a  receiving  of  Christ.  '•''But  as  many 
as  received  him  to  thein  gave  he  jwicer  to  become  the  sons  of  God.'''' 
Unbelief  then  is  the  rejecting  Christ.  Faith  is  called  coming 
to  Christ.  '"''Come  unto  me  all  ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy  laden.'''' 
'"'•Him  that  cometh  to  me  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out.''"'  Unbelief  is 
the  running  away,  or  turning  the  back  upon  Christ.  Faith  gives 
full  credence  to  the  report,  which  God  gives  of  his  Son.  It  is 
the  full  assent  and  consent  of  the  heart  to  the  truth  of  the  word 
of  God.  ^^Heihat  receivethhis  testimony,  hath  set  to  his  seal  that 
God  is  t7-uc.'^  Unbelief  then  is  the  treating  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  as  a  deceiver  and  impostor,  and  the  God  of  truth  as  a 
liar;  and  the  rejecting  all  the  truths  of  the  scriptures.  Faith 
chooses  the  Lord  Jesus  as  the  most  amiable,  glorious  and  lovely 
object  in  heaven  or  earth;  unbelief  treats  him  as  one,  mean  and 
contemptible — altogether  unworthy  the  esteem  and  affection  of 
the  heart.  Unbelief  always  suggests  the  idea,  that  the  truths  of 
the  gospel  are  sufficiently  attested,  by  the  best  evidence;  and 
this  evidence,  it  either  treats  with  contempt  and  inattention,  and 
will  not  investigate,  nor  try  to  examine:  or  else  the  pride,  preju- 
dice and  enmity  of  the  heart  are  such,  that  it  rejects  the  evi- 
dence in  opposition  to  the  light,  and  regards  the  truths  of  God  as 
lies  and  falsehood.  This  we  will  try  to  illustrate  from  plain 
matter  of  fact. 

1st.  Theexample  we  will  introduce,  is  that  of  the  rebellious 
Israelites  in  the  wilderness.  The  apostle  Paul  says  they  could 
not  enter  into  the  promised  land,  because  they  were  unbeliev- 
ing. "Bzi^  with  whom  was  he  grieved  forty  years?  was  it  not 
with  them  that  had  sinned,  ichose  carcases  fell  in  the  wildei'ness. 
And  to  whom  swear  he  that  they  should  never  enter  into  his  rest, 
hut  to  them  that  believe  noil  So  we  see,  that  they  could  not  enter 
in  because  of  unbelief.''''  The  promise  of  God,  who  cannot  lie, 
had  been  pledged,  times  without  number,  for  ages  and  genera- 
tions, that  he  would  put  the  seed  of  Abraham  in  possession  of  the 
land  of  Canaan;  that  he  would  go  before  them,  subdue  their  ene- 
mies drive  out  the  Canaanitish  nations.     What  better  evidence 


NATURE    AND   TENDENCY    OF    UNBELIEB".  329 

could  they  have  desired,  than  the  word  of  God — the  promise  of 
the  Sovereign  of  the  universe?  But  this  was  not  all. — They 
had  witnessed  the  signs  and  wonders,  that  he  wi'ought  in  Egypt 
— They  had  seen  the  Red  Sea  divided,  contrary  to  the  estab- 
lished laws  of  nature,  and  had  actually  passed  through  it  on  dry 
land,  while  Pharaoh  and  his  mighty  host  were  overwhelmed  and 
drowned  in  its  billows:  they  were  led  by  a  pillar  of  cloud  by 
day,  and  by  a  pillar  of  fire  by  night — they  were  fed  by  bread, 
miraculously  rained  from  heaven,  and  their  clothing  waxed  not 
old. — Therefore,  it  seems  they  had  not  only  the  word  and  prom- 
ise of  the  God  of  truth,  but  also  unquestionable  demonstrations 
of  his  almighty  power  to  perform  what  he  had  promised.  But 
what  was  their  conduct,  when  the  spies  returned  with  an  evil 
report  concerning  the  good  land — when  they  told  them  of  the 
warlike  nations  of  Canaan — their  walled  cities  a!id  the  mighty 
giants  whom  they  would  have  to  encounter?  They  murmured 
and  repined — they  rebelled  against  God — disbelieved  his  prom- 
ises— and  forgot  all  the  miracles  he  had  worked  for  their  benefit. 
They  were  afraid  to  face  the  giants  and  warlike  nations  of  the 
land.  They  mistrusted  the  Omnipotent  Arm  which  delivered 
them  from  Pharaoh's  host,  and  brought  them  dry  shod  through 
the  sea;  and  therefore  they  resolutely  determined  to  return 
again  into  Egypt:  and  for  this  cause  the  eternal  God  swore  in 
his  wrath,  that  they  should  never  enter  into  his  rest. — There- 
fore, says  the  apostle,  ^Hhey  could  not  enter  in  because  of  unbt] 
lief:' 

2nd.  The  next  example  we  shall  mention,  is  that  of  the  un- 
believing Jews,  when  Christ  appeared  in  the  flesh.  Though  all 
the  prophecies  of  the  Old  Testament,  and  all  the  types  and  sac- 
rifices of  the  Mosaic  dispensation,  had  their  full  and  complete 
accomplishment  in  him;  though  his  Godhead,  his  Divinity,  and 
Messiahship  were  demonstrated  to  their  external  senses,  by  the 
most  plain,  convincing  and  incontestible  evidence;  though  he 
spake  as  never  man  spake,  and  did  works  which  no  other  man 
could  do;  though  he  healed  the  sick,  raised  the  dead,  cast  out 
devils,  opened  the  eyes  of  the  blind,  walked  upon  the  waves  of 
the  sea,  and  commanded  winds  and  storms  and  raging  tempests, 
and  they  obeyed  him; — yet  the  Jews  would  not  believe.  Al- 
though it  was  proven  by  indisputable  evidence,  that  he  was  the 
Son  of  God,  they  treated  him  with  more  contempt  than  if  he 
had  been  the  basest  malefactor;  though  undeniable  testimony 
proved  him  to  be  the  very  Christ,  the  true  Messiah  and  Saviour 
of  the  world,  they  treated  him  as  an  impostor  and  deceiver; 
though  his  heavenly  doctrines  brought  life  and  immortality  to 
light,  and  discovered  to  a  lost  and  ruined  world  the  only  door 
of  mercy,  the)^  rejected  them  asiijsaudililsehoods. — ibucii  were 
the  pride,  the  prejudice,  and  malignant  enmity  of  their  hearts, 


330  NATURE  AND  TENDENCY  OF  UNBELIEF. 

that  in  spite  of  reason  and  the  awful  consequences  of  such 
conduct,  they  resisted  the  clear  light  of  evidence,  malicious- 
ly refusing  to  be  convinced.  Though  he  pitied  and  wept 
over  them,  courted  and  entreated  them  with  bowels  of 
tenderness  and  compassion,  yet  they  despised  and  rejected  him 
— they  preferred  before  him  a  thief  and  murderer,  and  at  length 
imbrued  their  hands  in  his  blood. 

What  were  the  consequences  of  this  base  and  irrational  con- 
duct? For  eighteen  hundred  years  they  have  been  banished 
from  God — cast  out  as  a  curse  and  derision  to  the  view  of  the 
world — scattered  to  the  four  winds  of  heaven,  among  all  the 
nations  of  the  earth,  as  a  standing  monument  of  the  wrath  and 
displeasure  of  a  dreadful,  sin  avenging  God. 

3rd.  The  next  example  of  unbelief  which  we  shall  produce, 
is  that  of  deists  and  infidels  of  the  present  day,  who  reject  and 
despise  Christ  and  his  salvation,  heaven  and  eternal  life,  wilfully 
shutting  the  door  of  mercy  against  themselves;  and  that  too,  in 
opposition  to  the  noon-day  splendor  of  the  light  of  evidence. 

There  is  no  subject  which  the  human  mind  nas  investigated, 
that  is  supported  by  more  clear,  convincing,  and  undeniable  evi- 
dence, than  the  divine  authority  of  the  Bible,  the  certainty  of 
divine  revelation,  and  the  blessed  reality  of  the  religion  of  Jesus 
Christ.  Would  the  infidel,  like  an  honest  inquirer  after  truth, 
read  and  study  the  Bible  without  prejudice;  would  he,  upon 
manly  and  honorable  principles,  investigate  the  evidence  on 
each  side  of  the  question;  would  he  act  fairly  upon  what  he 
hypocritically  pretends  to  be  his  great  and  governing  principle, 
viz.  like  one  honestly  searching  for  truth,  follow  the  dictates  of 
reason  with  candid  and  unbiassed  mind; — he  would  find  the 
light  and  evidence  clear,  convincing  and  irresistible,  and  be 
compelled  by  the  force  of  the  testimony,  to  believe  the  Bible, 
and  embrace  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ. 

But  such  is  the  enmity  of  the  infidel's  heart,  against  God  and 
holiness,  that  he  hates  the  Bible  above  every  other  book  in  the 
world.  Its  heavenly  doctrines  and  precepts,  and  the  strict  ho- 
liness of  heart  and  life,  which  it  requires ;  are  so  contrary  to  his 
nature,  that  he  cannot  endure  it.  He  had  no  taste  or  relish  for 
it.  A  jest  book,  novel,  play  or  romance,  or  any  thing  else,  is 
infinitely  more  pleasing  to  his  vitiated  and  depraved  heart.  All 
the  while  he  does  not  wish  to  believe  the  Bible,  were  he  to  ad- 
mit its  truth.  His  conscience,  like  a  never  dying  worm  would 
be  gnawing  and  tormenting  him  every  moment.  It  would  tell 
him,  that  he  must  either  part  with  his  sinful  pleasures  and  prac- 
tices, or  burn  in  hell  forever.  Therefore,  he  tries  not  to  believe 
the  Bible.  He  secretly  hopes  and  wishes  that  it  may  not  be 
true.  He  has  such  a  hatred  and  dislike  to  it  that  he  rarely 
reads  it;  and  when  he  does,  he  is  endeavoring  to  find  some- 


natdre  ahv  tbndenst  of  unbelief.  331 

thing  which  may  be  twisted  and  strained  into  contradiction  of 
itself.  He  hunts  up,  and  stores  his  mind  with  every  thing,  which 
looks  like  a  plausible  argument  against  it.  These  he  speaks  of 
with  pleasure,  upon  all  occasions.  He  collects  all  the  profane 
and  ridiculous  jests,  about  particular  things,  in  the  Bible. — 
These,  glossed  over  with  strokes  of  lively  wit,  are  freely  used 
by  him  when  among  his  profane  companions,  for  the  purpose 
of  creating  laughter  and  diversion,  especially  if  a  sober  exem- 
plary christian  is  present,  whom  he  supposes  to  chagrin  and 
wound  by  his  profanity.  He  never  wishes  to  make  himself  ac- 
quainted with  the  Bible,  but  carefully  shuns,  the  force  of  its  evi- 
dence. 

Thus,  the  poor  infidel  works  out  his  own  damnation,  with 
greater  diligence  and  industry  to  make  sure  of  the  way  to  hell, 
than  the  persevering  christian,  to  make  sure  of  heaven  and  eter- 
nal life.  By  unbelief  he  shuts,  and  bars,  and  seals,  the  door  of 
mercy  against  himself  forever. 

4th.  The  next  example  of  unbelief,  we  will  produce,  is  the 
case  of  the  careless  and  unthinking  sinner.  He  is  not  a  chris- 
tian nor  is  he  an  infidel — in  fact  he  is  nothing. — With  some 
propriety  he  might  be  called  a  civilized  Pagan — a  heathen  in  a 
land  of  gospel  light.  Perhaps  he  has  never  had  a  Bible  in  his 
house;  or  if  he  has,  he  does  not  read  one  sentence  of  it  in  a 
month.  Upon  the  whole,  he  knows  as  little  of  its  contents,  as  a 
Mahomedan  or  Indian  who  never  saw  the  book.  All  his  Sab- 
baths are  spent  in  visiting,  trading,  worldly  conversation,  vain 
amusements  and  loud  laughing.  Perhaps  he  does  not  go  to 
meeting  once  in  a  year;  or  if  he  does,  he  stays  on  the  outside 
of  the  house,  laughing  talking  and  jesting,  without  attending  to 
one  sentence  he  hears.  In  short,  the  world  is  his  god,  and  its 
cares  and  pleasures,  his  devotion.  He  lives  as  if  there  were 
neither  death  nor  judgment,  heaven  nor  hell.  Though  a  glori- 
ous blood  bought,  free  salvation  is  provided,  and  offered  even  to 
the  worst  of  sinners,  yet  he  never  spends  a  thought  about  it — 
he  treats  it  with  as  much  contempt  and  inattention,  as  the  dust 
beneath  his  feet.  Though  the  truth  of  the  Bible — the  religion 
of  Jesus — and  the  plan  of  redemption  through  Christ,  is  sup- 
ported and  established  by  the  plainest  testimony,  and  incontesti- 
ble  evidence,  yet  he  thinks  no  more  about  the  matter  than  the 
wild  savage  of  the  forest.  He  will  tell  you,  that  he  seldom  or 
never  looks  in  the  Bible — he  knows  nothing  about  what  it  con- 
tains— he  cannot  tell  whether  it  is  true  or  false — it  may  be  true 
— probably  some  of  it  is:  he  never  thought  much  about  it.  He 
cannot  tell  whether  there  be  a  hell  or  not — it  may  be,  he  never 
thought  much  about  it.  Whether  there  be  thereafter,  or  wheth- 
er a  future  account  must  be  given  for  the  deeds  done  in  the 
body,  he  cannot  tell — it  has  not  been,  with  him,  a  subject  of 

42 


332  iJATUKB  AND  TENDENCY  OF  UNBELIEF* 

reflection.     Such  persons  are  trulj  unbelievers  and  the  truth  of 
God  declares,  "JTe  that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned.'''' 

5th.  There  is  another  example  of  unbelief  in  the  case  of  the 
lukewarm,  Laodician  professor,  who  has  the  form  of  godliness 
without  the  power;  a  name  to  live,  while  spiritually  dead.  He 
professes  to  believe  the  Bible,  but  in  practice  denies  it.  No 
doctrine  in  it,  is  more  clearly  pointed  out,  than  that  of  regener- 
ation, or  an  experimental,  heart  felt  change — a  religion  simply 
felt  and  sensibly  known — a  life  of  communion  with  God — feel- 
ing the  love  of  God  shed  abroad  in  his  heart.  But  the  luke- 
warm professor  denies  it,  rejects  it,  and  hates  it  altogether  as 
lies  and  falsehood.  He  terms  it  delusion — wild  fire — enthusi- 
asm. Every  experimental  sermon  he  hears  founded  in  the 
light  and  evidence  of  God's  word,  condemns  his  hope,  and  tells 
him  that  hell  will  be  his  portion.  But  he  shuns  the  light,  and 
will  not  believe  the  testimony  of  the  word  and  Spirit  concern- 
ing his  state — and  at  the  risk  of  damnation  clings  to  his  false 
hope. 

When  the  Lord  pours  out  his  Spirit  in  his  settlement  or 
neighborhood — when  his  relatives  and  acquaintances,  and  per- 
haps those  of  his  own  household,  are  deeply  and  solemnly  con- 
victed and  brought  to  cry  for  mercy;  and  when  some  of  them 
are  brought  to  feel  the  pardoning  love  of  God,  though  the  truth 
and  reality  of  the  work,  stand  upon  the  clear  light  and  evidence 
of  the  word — though  it  has  all  the  features  and  lineaments  of 
that  work,  which  is  said  in  the  sacred  scriptures  to  be  so  ne- 
cessary to  eternal  life,  that  there  can  be  no  salvation  without 
it;  yet  the  formal  professor  resents  and  opposes  it  with  the  en- 
mity of  a  devil.  He  regards  it  with  the  same  animosity  and 
opposes  it  with  the  same  malignity  that  the  Jews  manifested  in 
opposing  and  persecuting  the  Son  of  God — ascribing  the  power 
and  agency  of  the  Spirit  to  God  to  Beelzebub. 

Gth.  Another  example  of  unbelief  is  shewn  in  the  case  of  the 
awakened  sinner,  who  is  patching  up  a  fig-leaf  garment  of  his 
own  instead  of  the  righteousness  of  Christ.  Though  he  is 
brought  in  some  degree,  to  believe  that  sin  is  an  evil,  dishonor- 
ing to  God  and  damning  to  the  soul— -to  believe  that  he  is  a 
wretched,  guilty  and  condemned  sinner — and  thai  he  must  re- 
pent or  be  damned;  yet,  unbelief  with  gigantic  strength,  bars 
his  heart  against  Christ,  and  holds  him  back  from  eternal  life. 
The  God  of  truth  has  declared,  that  his  best  duties,  and  his 
best  righteousness  are  sinful  and  filthy  i*ags;  that  his  '•'•heart  is 
deceitful  above  all  things  and  desperately  loickedf  that  '•'•every 
imagination  of  the  thoughts  of  his  heart  is  only  evil  continually." 
But  his  unbelieving  heart  gives  God  the  lie.  He  thinks  him- 
self much  better  than  God  says  he  is;  at  least  he  can  do  some- 
thing good.     Instead  of  coming,  like  a  wretched,  condemned 


If ATUBE    AND  TBNDENCY    OP   UNBELIKF.  333 

criminal,  as  he  is,  to  the  almighty,  all-sufficient,  and  compassion- 
ate Jesus,  he  tries  to  work  out  a  righteousness  of  his  owu.  He 
flies  to  his  reformation,  duties,  and  his  tears;  to  his  resolutions, 
vows  and  promises;  to  his  enlargements  and  melting  frames;  to 
any  thing  else,  rather  than  come,  as  a  starving  dying  beggar, 
and  cist  his  soul  into  the  outstretched  arms  of  a  bleeding  Jesus. 
When  the  convincing  light  and  power  of  the  Spirit  of  God, 
swef!ps  away  one  refuge  of  lies,  he  flies  to  another;  and  from 
thai  to  another,  until  his  angel,  hope,  gives  up  the  ghost — until 
he  feels  that  he  can  live  no  longer  without  Christ. 

When  the  poor  awakened  sinner  is  called,  and  invited,  and 
told,  to  come  to  Christ  just  as  he  is — to  tarry  no  longer,  but  fly 
for  his  life — that  no  recommending  qualification  is  required — 
he  recoils  at  this.  He  cannot  come  till  he  makes  himself  bet- 
ter. He  must  patch  up  a  wedding  garment  to  recommend  him 
to  Christ.  His  heart  must  be  softened — he  must  have  such  and 
such  feelings — he  must  be  affected  in  a  certain  way,  so  that  he 
can  pray  with  fluency  and  vehemence.  Again,  when  he  feels 
himself  on  the  very  brink  of  a  bottomless,  burning  hell — when 
all  hope  seems  gone — when  the  word  of  God,  and  his  ministers 
tell  him  that  Christ  is  a  gracious,  compassionate  and  willing 
Saviour — that  he  is  called  in  particular,  and  Christ  is  willing  to 
save  him, — unbelief  gives  God  the  lie.  O,  says  the  sinner, 
Christ  is  not  willing:  my  sins  are  so  great,  there  is  no  mercy 
for  me.  Christ  is  mighty  indeed,  and  can  save  the  vilest  sinner, 
but  he  is  unwilling  to  save  me.  My  case  is  singular;  it  is  a 
hopeless  case ;  there  is  no  hope  for  me ;  I  surely  cannot  be  saved. 
Thus,  unbelief  bolts  the  heart  against  the  Lord  Jesus,  until  the 
arm  of  the  Omnipotent  snatches  it  away.  But,  to  give  you  a" 
still  more  clear  view  of  the  nature  and  tendency  of  unbelief,  we 
shall  be  yet  more  particular. 

Suppose  I  were  travelling,  and  a  man  of  eminent  character 
and  high  reputation  should  meet  me,  and  tell  me  to  proceed  no 
farther,  or  I  would  be  a  dead  man;  that  a  party  of  murdereis, 
were  lying  in  ambuscade  on  both  sides  of  the  road;  that  death 
would  be  the  inevitable  consequence  of  attempting  to  pass;  that 
many  had  tried  to  pass,  but  that  every  one,  to  a  man,  had  been 
murdered;  and  suppose  he  were  to  entreat  me,  with  tears,  to 
stop  and  turn  back; — would  it  not  be  unbelief  with  a  witness, 
if  I  were  to  laugh  at  him,  and  call  him  a  fool,  and  treat  ^11  his 
expressions  of  kindness  and  benevolence,  with  contempt  and 
disdain,  pursue  my  course,  and  rush  upon  inevitable  destruction? 
Or,  suppose  myself  and  a  number  of  other  persons  were  in  a 
house  together,  eating  and  drinking,  apprehensive  o(  no  dan-,* 
ger,  and  several  gentlemen  of  unquestionable  veracity  wer*  to 
come  and  call  upon  us,  and  entreat  us  to  fly  for  our  lives,  for  a 
body  of  armed  men  were  in  pursuit  of  us,  and  in  a  few  moments 


S34  NATURE  AND  TENDBNCY  OF  UNBSLIEF. 

would  be  upon  us,  and  put  every  man  to  death. — They  would 
urge  us  to  escape,  without  delay,  else  we  would  soon  be  cut  in 
pieces.  Suppose  we  were  to  laugh  them  to  scorn, and  tell  them 
there  was  no  danger,  that  we  saw  no  dangerous  enemy  ap 
proaching,  and  had  nothing  to  alarm  us. — Again,  they  would 
inform  us  that  our  danger  was  the  greater,  since  we  were  un- 
conscious of  it — that  these  terrible  enemies  would  come  upon 
us,  like  a  thief  in  the  night,  at  a  moment  when  we  least  expec- 
ted them. — They  would  redouble  their  entreaties,  and  with  tears 
of  compassion  would  beseech  us  to  improve  the  present  moment, 
and  escape  before  it  would  forever  be  too  late.  And  after  all 
this,  suppose  we  should  treat  them  with  contempt  and  ridicule — 
should  tell  them  they  were  blockheads — get  angry  with  them, 
and  ask  them  to  give  themselves  no  concern  about  us; — that  if 
we  are  in  danger,  it  is  none  of  their  business;  and  so  remain 
and  risk  the  imminent  danger.  Certainly  this  would  be  unbe- 
lief to  all  intents  and  purposes.  Well,  such  examples  as  these 
afford  but  a  faint  idea  of  the  dreadful  infatuation  of  sinners 
under  the  reigning  power  of  unbelief. 

The  word  of  God  declares,  that  "///e  wages  of  sin  is  death;'''' 
that  "fAe  soul  that  sinnetlu  it  shall  dief^  that  impenitent  sinners 
shall  be  tormented  with  fire  and  brimstone  in  the  presence  of 
the  holy  angels  and  of  the  Lamb; — that  the  smoke  of  their  tor- 
ment shall  afsend  up  forever  and  ever,  and  that  they  shall  have 
no  rest  day  nor  night.  Now,  let  me  solemnly  ask.  Do  sinners 
believe  this?  No.  They  declare,  by  their  conduct,  that  God 
is  a  liar — when  they  can  with  pleasure  and  delight  without  fear 
or  dread  live  in  the  love  and  practice  of  known  sin.  The  com- 
mand of  God  is,  ^'•Thou  shall  not  take  the  name  of  the  Lord  thy 
God  in  vain;  for  the  Lord  will  not  hold  him  guiltless  that  taketh 
his  name  in  vain.^^  Let  reason  and  conscience  speak.  Do 
sinners  believe  this?  Do  they  not  give  the  Eternal  God  the 
lie,  when  they  blaspheme  his  sacred  name  upon  every  trifling 
occarion;  and  repeatedly  call  upon  him  to  damn  their  souls  in 
hell? 

God  commands — ^^Rtmember  the  Sabbath  day  to  keep  it  holy" 
And  he  tells  us  that  on  hi-f  holy  day,  we  must  not  seek  our  own 
pleasure,  speak  our  own  words,  or  perform  our  own  works.  Do 
sinners  believe  this?  Do  they  not  declare  that  God  lies,  when 
they  spend  the  Sabbath  in  laughing  and  talking,  sleeping,  con- 
versing about  worldly  matters,  in  trifling  and  vain  amusements? 

God's  word  declares,  '■'•Thou  shall  worship  the  Lord  thy  God, 
and  him  only  shall  thou  ferve." — ^^God  is  a  Spirit;  and  they  that 
worship  him,  must  worship  him  in  spirit  and  in  truth.'''' — '•'•Pray 
without  ceasing.''^ — "/n  everything,  by  prayer  and  supplication, 
with  thanksgiving,  let  your  requests  be  made  known  unto  God.''"' 
It  declares  that  God  is  a  jealous  God,  and  will  not  suffer  sin, 


Nature  and  tendency  of  unbelief.  335 

nor  sinners  to  pass  unpunished.  But  sinners  do  not  believe  these 
declarations;  for  experience  and  observation  prove  that  they 
every  day  and  every  hour  give  the  Eternal  God  the  lie,  by  liv- 
ing prayerless,  and  not  worshipping  him  in  public  or  private,  and 
living  as  if  there  were  neither  God,  nor  death,  nor  a  future 
state.  In  short,  unbelief  was  the  source  of  the  first  sin  that 
ever  was  committed;  for  it  declared,  in  opposition  to  what  God 
had  said,  '■'•Thou  shall  not  surely  die.''''  And  every  sin,  which 
the  sons  of  men  have  since  committed,  either  of  thought,  word 
or  deed,  have  sprung  from   unbelief. 

The  language  of  the  sinner's  conduct,  whenever  he  commils 
sin,  is,  I  shall  not  surely  die — God  is  not  that  God  of  truth  which 
he  declares  himself  to  be — he  will  not  punish — I  shall  not  feel 
the  vengeance  of  eternal  fire  for  my  sins.  The  tendency  of 
unbelief  is  to  harden  the  heart  and  sear  the  conscience.  It  puts 
death,  judgment,  and  an  awful  eternity,  quite  out  of  view;  it 
removes  them,  in  the  sinner's  imagination,  to  an  infinite  distance. 
It  represents  the  high  and  lofty  one — the  thrice  holy  God— -as 
a  sort  of  a  foolish,  easy,  simple  being,  who  will  suffer  his  laws 
and  government  to  be  insulted  and  trampled  under  foot,  with- 
out taking  any  notice  of  it.  Or  rather,  it  represents  him  as  a 
filthy,  depraved  being,  somewhat  like  the  sinner,  who  sees  no 
evil  in  sin,  and  will  connive  at  the  wickedness  of  his  creatures. 
It  represents  sin  as  an  innocent,  harmless,  pleasing  thing;  and 
tells  the  sinner  that  there  is  very  little  future  reward  or  punish- 
ment. It  opens  ten  thousand  avenues  to  every  species  of  sin, 
and  leads  men  to  commit  evil  with  pleasure,  with  greediness  and 
delight.  It  takes  off  all  restraint  from  the  conscience,  all  ap- 
prehension of  danger,  and  gives  a  loose  rein  to  every  lust,  every 
imagination,  and  sinful  desire;  and,  finally,  it  fixes  the  soul  for 
irrecoverable  and  everlasting  destruction—it  binds  down  upon 
the  sinner  the  damning  weight  of  the  guilt  of  all  his  other  sins — 
it  shuts  the  last  and  only  possible  door  of  mercy  against  the 
sinner;  and,  what  constitutes  ten  thousand  hells  in  one,  it  adds 
the  guilt  of  the  slighted  blood  of  an  incarnate  God. 

II.  Say  something  of  that  damnation  which  is  the  immediate 
consequence  of  unbelief. 

"i/e  that  helieveth  not  shall  he  damned^''  In  the  very  reason 
and  fitness  of  things,  there  exists  the  same  connexion,  between 
unbelief  and  damnation,  as  exists  between  cause  and  effect. — 
Damnation  follows  unbelief,  as  its  inseparable  consequence. 
Damnation  is  derived  from  the  Latin  verb  damnoy  to  condemn. 
It  includes  the  whole  curse  and  condemnation  of  the  injured 
law  of  God,  in  its  fullest  and  largest  extent,  together  with  all 
the  infinite,  eternal  and  indescribable  pains,  to  be  inflicted  as 
the  penalty  of  its  violation.  But  the  damnation  connected 
with  unbelief,  contains  in  it  something  still  more,  inconceivably, 


336  NATURE  AND  TENDENCY  OF  UNBELIEF. 

and  inexpressibly  dreadful.  It  contains  not  onh' the  curse  and 
the  penalty  of  the  divine  law  in  its  largest  extent,  but  also  the 
nnore  awful  and  tremendous  penalties  of  the  despised  gospel. 
"ife  that  despised  Moses^  law  died  without  mercy  under  two  or 
three  witnesses:  of  how  much  sorer  punisJimenXj  suppose  ye,  shall 
he  be  thought  icorthy,  mho  hath  trodden  under  foot  the  Son  of  God, 
and  hath  counted  the  blood  of  the  covenant,  wherewith  he  was  sanc- 
tified, an  unholy  thing,  and  hath  done  despite  unto  the  Spirit  of 
grace?  And  says  our  Divine  Lord,  it  shall  be  more  tolerable  for 
Tyre  and  Zidon,  for  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  that  never  heard  the 
gospel,  than  it  will  be  for  Capernaum,  Chorazin  and  Bethsaida, 
where  his  mighty  works  were  done — where  mercy  was  so  gra- 
ciously offered,  and  yet  despised  and  rejected.  Damnation  im- 
plies in  it,  an  everlasting  separation  from  God — from  Christ — 
from  heaven — and  from  all  possible  good.  It  implies  an  eter- 
nal banishment  beyond  the  reach  of  mercy — and  being  driven 
beyond  even  the  possibility  of  hope.  It  implies  all  the  infinite 
and  everlasting  pains,  tortures  and  ()ery  torments  of  hell. 


SERMON    XXXI. 


THE  DOOM  OF  XKE  IMPENITENT. 


"jPor  Tophe.t  is  ordained  of  old;  yea^for  the  king  it  is  prepar- 
ed; he  hath  made  it  deep  and  large:  the  pile  thereof  is  jire  and 
much  wood;  the  bfeath  of  the  Lord,  like  a  stream  of  brimstone  doth 
kindle  ii.^^ — Isaiah,  xxx.  33. 


There  are  two  things  necessary  to  constitute  a  good  Ruler. 
The  first  is,  that  his  laws  should  be  calculated  to  promote  the 
general  good  and  happiness  of  his  subjects. — The  second,  that 
the  penalty  of  his  laws  be  so  executed  as  to  support  the  honor 
and  dignity  of  his  government,  and  deter  his  subjects  from  diso- 
bedience. 

In  no  Ruler,  Prince  or  Potentate,  are  these  j)roperties  so  com- 
plete and  perfect,  as  in  the  character  of  the  Supreme  Lord  and 
Sovereign  of  the  Universe.  View  the  laws  which  he  has  given 
to  regulate  the  conduct  of  all  rational  and  intelligent  beings: 
they  are  founded  upon  infinite  holiness,  rectitude  and  purity: 
they  are  an  exact  copy  of  his  moral  attributes.  View  the  di- 
vine law,  in  its  nature  and  tendency,  as  requiring  spotless  holi- 
ness and  perfection;  and  at  once  it  will  appear,  that  strict  obe- 
dience to  this  law  and  perfect  conformity  to  it,  is  the  very  es- 
sence of  all  true  happiness:  a  constitution  indeed  becoming  of  a 
God,  in  which  all  the  glory  of  his  attributes,  honor  and  dignity 
of  his  government,  and  the  general  good,  the  happiness  and  best 
interests  of  all  his  creatures  are  inseparably  connected. 

Then,  it  is  right  and  proper,  in  the  very  nature  of  things,  that 
a  law,  so  holy,  just  and  good — so  well  calculated  to  preserve  the 
order,  and  promote  the  general  good  and  happiness  of  the  uni- 
verse, should  have  such  penalties  to  it,  as  would  have  the  most 
natural  tendency  to  deter  all  his  intelligent  creatures  from  sin 
and  disobedience.  For,  sin  being  in  its  own  nature,  an  infinite 
evil,  a  contempt  of  the  infinite  majesty  and  glory  of  God,  is  a 
stroke  at  his  existence  and  aims  at  nothing  less  than  to  destroy 
Omnipotence — to  dethrone  Jehovah — to  destroy  all  order  and 
harmony — to  introduce  ruin,   confusion  and  anarchy  into   the 


338  THE     DOOM    OF    THE    rMPENlTENT. 

universe,  and  finally  to  plunge  all  intelligent  creatures  into  end- 
less misery  and  perdition. 

Then  it  follows,  that  it  is  an  act  of  boundless  goodness  and 
love  in  God,  to  have  provided  a  hell  for  finally  impenitent  sin- 
ners— and  threatened  eternal  torments  as  the  reward  of  every 
violation  of  his  law.  For,  thereby  his  intelligent  creatures  are 
deterred  from  sin — the  rights  of  the  divine  government  are  sup- 
ported, and  the  general  good  of  the  universe  promoted.  It  is 
not  from  a  barbarous,  ferocious  temper,  or  from  any  delight  in 
the  misery  of  their  fellow  creatures,  that  wise  legislators,  appoint 
prisons  and  bedlams,  or  ordain  fines  and  corporal  punishments 
to  notorious  offenders;  but  from  a  desire,  to  promote  the  good 
of  the  public  at  large — the  order,  peace  and  welfare  of  society. 
By  this  means,  anarchy  and  confusion  are  prevented ;  and  mur- 
derers, robbers,  and  distracted  persons,  are  restrained  from 
spreading  misery  and  destruction  through  the  county.  So  the 
eternal  God,  from  a  supreme  regard  to  the  glory  of  his  attributes, 
and  the  honor  and  dignity  of  his  law — from  a  genuine  love  of 
the  happiness  and  general  good  of  his  creatures — has  annexed 
the  most  dreadful  penalties  to  his  law,  and  threatens  eternal 
wTath  and  damnation  to  every  sin:  for  this  very  purpose — to 
be  a  loud  warning  to  all  rational  worlds,  and  prevent  them  from 
the  destructive  evil  of  sin.  He  has,  in  his  eternal  wisdom,  or- 
dained and  prepared  a  dismal  hell  for  all  ungodly  and  impenitent 
sinners.  The  text  informs  us,  that  "  Tophet  is  ordained  of  oW — 
that  "Ae  hath  made  it  deep  and  large'''' — that  *'Lhe  pile  thereof  is 
fire  and  much  wood'''' — and  ^Hhe  breath  of  the  Lord  like  a  stream 
of  brimstone  doth  kindle  it.'''' 

In  the  preceding  verses  of  this  chapter,  the  prophet  in  the 
most  majestic  language,  describes  the  vengeance  of  God  upon 
the  enemies  of  his  church;  and  particularly  upon  the  king  of 
Assyria,  who  at  that  time  was  one  of  the  most  powerful  foes  of 
God's  peculiar  people.  '•''For  through  the  voice  of  the  Lord^"* 
says  he,  '"'shall  the  Assyrian  be  beaten  down,  which  smote  with  a 
rod.  And  in  every  place  where  the  grounded  staff  shall  pass,  ichich 
the  Lord  shall  lay  upon  him^  it  shall  be  ivith  tabrets  and  harps.'''' 

By  the  '''•voice  of  the  Lord,''''  we  are  doubtless  to  understand, 
the  exertions  of  his  Almighty  power  in  the  distraction  of  the 
wicked.  This  will  appear  plain,  if  we  look  at  the  xxix.  Psalm. 
There  we  are  told,  that  "TAe  voice  of  the  Lo7'd  is  powerful;  the 
voice  of  the  Lord  is  full  of  majesty;  the  voice  of  the  Lord  brealicth 
the  cedars;  yea,  the  Lord  breaketh  the  cedars  of  Lebanon.''"'  By 
the  ^'•grounded  Uaff,'"'  which  the  Lord  should  lay  upon  the  king 
of  Assyria,  we  are  to  understand  his  vindictive  justice  in  the 
infliction  of  deserved  wrath  upon  impenitent  sinners.  It  is  also 
called  a  ^''rod  of  iron:''''  ^^Thou  shalt  break  them  with  a  I'od  of 
iron;  thou  shalt  dash  them  in  pieces  like  a  patterns  vessel.''''     By 


THE   COOfi   OF   THK  IMFENlfENT.  339 

the  sounding  of  Hahrets  and  harps^''  which  should  attend  this 
dreadful  scene,  we  may  understand  the  universal  assent  of  saints 
and  angels  to  the  justice  of  the  divine  vengeance,  giving  as  it 
were,  their  Amen  to  the  damnation  of  the  ungodly;  for  they 
are  repi-esented  as  singing  loud  alleluias,  ascribing  '•^Salvation^ 
and  glory,  and  honor,  and  power'''  to  God  upon  the  occasion  of 
his  pouring  out  the  vials  of  his  wrath,  upon  the  wicked,  and 
saying.  Thou  art  righteous,  O  Lord,  ichich  art,  and  wast,  and 
shall  be^  because  thou  hast  judged  thus.^^  And  again,  saying 
^^ Hallelujah,''^  whilst  the  smoke  of  their  torment  ascendeth  up 
forever  and  ever.  Then,  he  gives  an  emphatical  description  of 
the  infernal  world — the  place  designed  from  eternity,  in  the 
mind  of  the  infinite  God,  where  he  should  give  the  most  tremen- 
dous displays  of  his  power  and  justice — dreadfully  expressive 
indeed  of  the  punishment  and  misery  of  the  finally  impenitent. 
^^For  Topliet  is  ordained  of  old;  for  the  king  it  is  prepared;  he 
hath  made  it  deep  and  large:  the  pile  thereof  is  fire  and  much 
wood;  the  breath  of  the  Lord,  like  a  stream -of  brimstone,  doth  kin- 
dle it.'' 

Tophet  literally  signifies  a  place  near  Jerusalem,  in  the  valley 
of  the  son  of  Hinnom.  Here  it  is  taken  figuratively  for  hell. 
Perhaps  for  several  reasons. 

1st.  Because  Tophet  or  the  valley  of  the  son  of  Hinnom 
was  the  sink  of  Jerusalem,  the  place  to  which  all  the  filth  of  the 
city  was  carried.  So  hell  is  the  sink  of  the  universe  where  all 
the  pollution  and  filth  of  the  moral  world  will  be  finally^  collec- 
ted together. 

2nd.  Because  Tophet,  in  the  valley  of  Hinnom,  was  the 
place  where  the  most  terrible  wickedness  was  perpetrated — 
where  the  idolatrous  Jews  burned  their  children  in  sacrifice  to 
Moloch — Where,  as  history  informs  us,  they  put  their  infants  in 
the  arms  of  a  hollow  brazen  image  of  a  man,  while  it  was  hea- 
ted red  hot;  and  thence  they  passed  into  the  lower  parts  of  his 
body.  During  this  hellish  scene,  drums  were  beating  and  trum- 
pets sounding,  to  deafen  their  ears  to  the  cries  of  the  unhappy 
little  victims.  This  was  a  scene  of  wickedness,  at  the  thought 
of  which,  even  depraved  nature  shudders,  since  it  supposes  that 
its  acto''s  were  destitute  of  that  restraining  grace  common  to 
the  worst  of  sinners.  Therefore  it  is  a  fit  emblem  of  hell,  where 
all  the  sinners  of  the  universe  shall  be  collected  into  one  great 
compan  .  —where  all  gracious  restraints  upon  their  corruptions 
shall  be  forevt.  taken  off- — and  where  every  evil  habit  and  sin- 
ful disposition  will  come  to  full  perfection. 

3rd.  Tophet  in  the  valley  of  Hinnom,  was  a  place  noted  for 
the  execution  of  the  divine  vengeance  upon  the  impenitent 
Jews.  In  reference  to  which  it  is  called  by  Jeremiah,  ^'the  val- 
ley of  slaughter  ;^^  for  there  the   carcases  were  to  be  burned, 

43 


840  THE  DOOM  OF  THE  IMPENITENT. 

until  there  should  be  no  place  left  in  which  to  bury  them.  In 
this  respect  it  is  a  fit  emblem  of  hell,  where  the  vials  of  Jeho- 
vah's puie  unmixed  wrath  are  eternally  pouring  out:  the  valley 
of  slaughter  indeed  where  numberless  millions  of  Adam's  race 
lie  spiritually  and  eternally  dead — where  all  the  dead  souls,  that 
have  never  been  raised  to  newness  of  life  by  the  Spirit  of  Christ, 
lie  buried  out  of  sight  at  an  eternal  distance  from  God— -and  from 
all  possibility  of  hope. 

In  remarking  farther  upon  this  subject,  we  will  take  each 
particular  as  it  stands  in  the  text. 

I.  ^^Tophet  is  ordained  of  oid;''^  it  was  ordained,  and  planned 
in  the  eternal  counsels  of  God  from  everlasting.  When  the 
phrase  of  old,  is  used  in  scripture,  it  often  signifies  from  eterni- 
ty or  from  everlasting.  By  the  same  phrase,  the  prophet  Micah 
expresses  the  eternity  of  the  Son  of  God:  "jB%/  thou  Bethlehtm 
Ephratah,  though  thou  be  little  among  the  thousands  of  Judah^ 
yet  out  of  thee,  shall  he  come  forth  unto  me,  that  is  to  be  ruler  in 
Israel',  whose  goings  forth  have  been  from  of  old,  from  everlast- 
ing.^^ 

Then  Tophet  was  ordained  from  eternity  by  the  infinitie  wis- 
dom of  God,  as  the  place  most  suitable  for  the  mighty  dsplays 
of  God's  wrath,  and  where  he  might  make  his  power  known, 
upon  the  vessels  of  wrath  fitted  for  destruction,  as  the  place 
where  his  boundless  wisdom,  his  mighty  power,  his  spotless  holi- 
ness, and  his  inflexible  justice,  might  shine  with  transcendent 
glory  and  brightness  in  the  complete  damnation  of  devils  and 
finally  impenitent  sinners. 

From  this  particular,  we  would  make  the  solemn  reflection: 
If  Tophet  was  ordained  of  old — if  the  torments  of  the  infernal 
world  were  planned  in  the  eternal  counsels  of  God — if  they  are 
the  product  of  his  infinite  wisdom — O,  what  must  be  the  mise- 
ries, the  pains  and  tortures  of  the  devils  and  damned  sinners! 

All  the  productions  of  his  wisdom  and  power,  are  in  every 
respect,  worthy  of  a  God.  When  he  designs  to  bring  univer- 
sal nature  into  existence,  lo,  what  a  glorions  structure  springs 
into  being! — Worlds,  and  systems  of  worlds,  all  fitted  to  the 
conditions  of  the  numberless  variety  of  their  inhabitants — all 
acting  in  exact  conformity  to  the  laws  ordained  by  their  great 
Creator — and  all  loudly  proclaiming  the  glory  of  his  attributes. 
When  he  designs  the  salvation  of  a  lost  world,  what  a  '  ious 
plan  is  revealed!  How  worthy  of  a  God--andhovv  suitable  to 
the  situation  of  lost  sinners!  A  living  way  is  opened  which 
strikes  adoring  angels  with  wonder  and  astonishment!  Into  it 
seraphim  and  cherubim  with  outstretched  necks  desire  to  look, 
to  behold  justice  and  mercy  united  in  Christ — all  the  attributes 
of  God  glorified — the  divine  law  magnified  and  made  honorable — 
,and  guilty,  lost  sinners,  redeemed,  saved  and  restored  to  the  fa- 


THE   DOOM   OP   THB   IMFKNITENT.  341 

vorable  friendship  of  God.     With  great  propriety  does  the  heav- 
enly poet  declare,  that — 

God,  in  the  person  of  his  Son, 
Hath  all  his  mightiest  works  outdone. 

When  he  designs  to  happify  poor,  believing  ransomed  sinners, 
what  a  salvation,  what  a  heaven,  and  what  an  ^^excteding  and 
eternal  weight  of  glory i,^''  does  he  bestow  upon  theml — a  king- 
dom, "a7i  inheritance  incorruptible^  and  undefiled,  and  that  fadeth 
not  awaif — ^joys  such  as  "ej/e  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  nei- 
ther have  entered  into  the  heart  of  manP  And  when  he  designs, 
in  his  eternal  counsels,  the  damnation  of  the  finally  impenitent 
and  ungodly — when  he  designs  to  shew  his  wrath  and  make  known 
his  power  upon  the  vessels  of  wrath,  fitted  for  destruction — it  will 
also  be  a  work  worthy  of  a  God,  and  which  will  eternally  display 
the  surpassing  glory  of  his  perfections.  His  eternal  truth,  will  shine 
with  Godlike  splendor  in  the  accomplishment  of  all  the  threatenings, 
terrors,  and  penalties  of  his  law,  which  were  loudly  proclaimed 
to  a  guilty  world,  during  his  long  suffering  patience  towards  the 
vessels  of  wrath,  whilst  fitting  themselves  for  destruction.  Here 
his  spotless  holiness  and  inexorable  justice,  shine  with  a  dread- 
ful, yet  lovely  splendor  in  the  inconceivable  pains  and  torments 
of  devils  and  damned  ghosts  of  Adam's  apostate  race.  Here 
the  boundless  wisdom  of  God  is  employed  to  its  utmost  extent 
in  inventing  pains  and  torments  for  the  damned;  and  his  almighty 
power  in  infilicting  them. 

Tremble  ye  careless  sinners. 

II.  "For  the  king  it  is  prepared.'^''  This  refers  particularly  to 
Senacherib,  king  of  Assyria — that  proud  blasphemous  monarch 
who  bade  defiance  to  the  living  God.  But  it  also  includes  all  of 
his  character  and  description.  Then  it  includes  every  sinner, 
out  of  Christ  Jesus.  Senacherib  was  an  inveterate  enemy  to 
God  and  his  cause;  so  is  every  unconverted  sinner.  For  the 
Apostle  declares  that  "f/«e  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God; 
for  it  is  not  subject  to  the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed  can  6e." 
They  are  ^^Enemies"  to  God  "6?/  wicked  works,'''' — '•''according 
to  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,  the  Spirit  that  now  worketh 
in  the  childen  of  disobedience,''^  who  are  ^fulfilling  the  desires  of 
the  flesh  and  of  the  mind,'''' 

The  Assyrian  king  proudly  and  blasphemously,  bade  defiance 
to  the  living  God:  so,  also,  does  every  sinner  out  of  Christ;  for 
every  sin  which  he  commits  is  a  hostile  attempt  at  the  very  life 


342  THE    DOOBf   OF   THE    IMPENITENT* 

of  God,  and  aims  at  nothing  Ibss  than  to  destroy  his  being — to 
overthrow  all  harmony  and  order,  and  to  involve  the  whole  uni- 
verse in  piisery  and  ruin.  When  he  commits  sin,  his  conduct 
loudly  proclaims  that  his  own  will  is  more  fit  to  be  the  rule  of 
his  actions,  than  the  will  of  God.  And  so  far  as  he  complies 
with  the  temptations  of  Satan,  he  practically  declares  that  the 
will  of  the  Devil,  is  a  surer  guide  to  happiness,  than  the  will  of 
the  eternal  Jehovah.  Whenever  he  resists  the  checks  of  con- 
science— quenches  the  motions  of  the  Spirit — breaks  his  solemn 
resolutions  to  repent  and  seek  religion—  whenever  he  slights  an 
offer  of  mercy — and  hears  a  gospel  sermon  with  trifling  indif- 
ference,— he  virtually  declares  that  the  pleasures  of  sin,  are 
more  to  be  desired  than  the  comforts  of  religion ;  that  the  con- 
solations of  the  Divine  Spirit  and  the  ineffable  joys  of  the 
heavenly  state,  are  unworthy  his  notice ;  that  Christ  has  died  in 
vain;  and,  that  his  blood  which  is  infinite,  is  too  contemptible 
for  his  consideration.  By  every  sin  he  wades  tlii'ough  Christ's 
blood  to  obtain  the  gratification  which  it  can  offord:  and,  offers 
the  most  horrible  despite  to  the  Spirit  of  grace.  The  language 
of  every  false  hope,  and  every  refuge  of  lies,  when  he  calms  his 
conscience  to  rest  short  of  sound  conversion,  speaks  loudly  that, 
his  good  works,  his  prayers,  tears  and  partial  reformations,  are 
better  calculated  to  justify  and  save  his  guilty  soul,  and  more 
capable  to  satisfy  the  law  and  justice  of  an  offended  God,  than 
the  perfect  merits  and  mediation  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  By 
establishing  a  righteousness  of  his  own,  and  refusing  to  submit 
to  the  righteousness  of  God,  he  treats  the  plan  of  redemption 
with  contempt.  He  practically  declares  that  the  adorable  Trin- 
ity have  been  engaged  from  all  eternity,  in  the  meanest  trifles,, 
not  worthy  his  attention;  that  the  unspeakable  gift  of  the  Son 
of  God  is  a  thing  of  nought.  How  just  and  how  reasonable, 
then,  in  the  very  nature  of  things,  that  careless  and  impeni- 
tent sinners  should  be  damned!  How  just  and  reasonable,  must 
the  divine  conduct  appear  to  every  rational  and  intelligent  be- 
ing, in  preparing  a  hell  for  wicked  and  ungodly  sinners !  "  To- 
phet  is  ordained  of  old;  yea^for  the  king  it  is  pixpared"' — for  all 
the  ungodly  kings  and  nobles,  as  well  as  Christless  slaves  and 
beggars — for  learned,  scofling  desist,  and  infidels,  as  well  as  for 
the  unpolished  rabble — as  well  for  carnal  time  serving  ministers, 
as  for  ungodly  hearers — as  well  for  lukewarm  formal  hypocrites, 
as  for  the  openly  profane  and  ungodly  s-inner.  Yea,  it  is  fitted 
and  prepared  by  the  boundless  wisdom  of  God,  for  every  soul 
out  of  Christ  Jesus—let  his  character  or  occupation  be  what  it 
may,  who  lives  and  dies  impenitent. 

III.  "iic  has  madt  it  deep,  and  large,-^  wide  and  expansive 
enough,  to  hold  all  the  filth  and  pollution  of  the  moral  world — - 
deep  and  large  enough    to  contain   every  impenitent  soul  of 


THE    DOOM    OF    THE    IMPENITENT.  343 

Adam's  race,  from  the  creation  to  the  end  of  the  world,  who 
lives  and  dies  out  of  Christ  Jesus.  And  must  it  not  be  deep  and 
large,  indeed,  when  it  contains  not  only  all  the  apostate  angels, 
but,  also,  the  greater  part  of  the  human  race,  in  every  age,  since 
the  creation  of  the  world? 

Look  at  the  history  of  the  church  from  the  beginning,  and  it 
will  appear,  that  it  is  indeed  a  few,  that  have  escaped  the  burn- 
ing regions  of  hell.  View  the  first  period — from  the  fall,  to  the 
flood,  and  you  will  find  the  church  to  be  indeed  small,  consist- 
ing from  age  to  age  of  the  family  of  Seth;  and  at  the  time  of  the 
flood,  in  the  habitable  globe,  it  was  confined  to  one  family.  Only 
eight  persons  profess  to  have  the  knowledge  of  the  true  God, 
and  one  of  these  a  hypocrite — an  accursed  Ham.  All  the  world 
besides,  were  vessels  of  wrath  prepared  for  Tophet. 

From  the  flood,  to  the  calling  of  Abraham,  the  true  church 
was  confined  to  a  few  families  in  the  line  of  Shem.  From  the 
calling  of  Abraham,  to  the  deliverance  from  Egyptian  bondage, 
the  church  is  limited  to  the  line  of  Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob; 
whilst  all  the  rest  of  the  world  is  left  in  a  state  of  wrath. 

From  the  deliverance  of  the  children  of  Israel  from  Egyp- 
tian bondage,  till  the  gospel  dispensation  commenced,  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  true  God  is  limited  to  the  nation  of  the  Jews;  and, 
perhaps,  but  few  of  them,  under  that  dark  dispensation,  had  a 
saving  knowledge  of  God,  while  the  whole  world  besides  were 
left  under  the  power  of  the  Devil. 

View,  also,  the  history  of  the  church  from  the  resurrection 
of  Christ,  to  the  present  time.  Although  millions,  through  ma- 
ny nations,  were  converted  by  the  preaching  of  the  appostles 
and  their  successors,  until  after  the  reign  of  Constantine,  yet, 
many  millions  still  remained  impenitent.  Then  view,  the  grow- 
ing declension  from  a  very  short  period  after  the  death  of  Con- 
stantine, till  the  last  reformation,  and  we  will  find  the  light  of 
the  gospel,  like  a  glimmering  lamp,  almost  gone  out,  confined  to 
the  suffering  Waldenses,  and  a  few  persecuted  witnessess; 
whilst  almost  all  the  world,  from  age  to  age,  went  down  to  the 
dismal  regions  of  the  damned. 

Although  Satan's  kingdom  received  a  heavy  blow  by  the  bles- 
sed reformation;  and  although  this  glorious  light  still  prevails; 
it  is  confined  to  a  small  part,  when  compared  to  the  rest  of  the 
world;  and  at  pi'esent  to  only  a  few  kingdoms,  and  but  few  in 
them  have  a  knowledge  of  Christ  savingly  and  experimentally. 
The  earth  is  divided  into  four  continents — Europe,  Asia,  Af- 
rica, and  America.  All  Asia,  Africa,  and  all  America,  except 
the  United  States  and  a  few  European  Colonies,  are  Pagans, 
Mahomedans,  Hindoos,  or  the  worshipers  of  Confucius.  Then, 
the  christian  church  is  confined  to  Europe  and  a  small  part  of 
America.     And  again  it  is  only  in  a  small  part  of  Europe  that 


344  THE    B»OM    OP    THE   IMPENITENT. 

the  true  doctrines  of  the  reformation  are  maintained,  viz.  In 
the  British  dominions,  Holland,  part  of  Germany,  part  of  Switz- 
erland, Sweden,  and  Denmark,  and  the  United  States  of  Amer- 
ica. All  the  w'orld  besides,  are  in  a  state  of  total  darkness  and 
ignorance  of  God.  Then,  out  of  these  countries,  mentioned, 
set  aside  all  the  atheists,  deists,  universalists,  and  such  as  hold 
damnable  heresies,  contrary  to  the  very  plan  of  salvation — set 
aside  all  the  openly  profane,  and  those  who  have  no  outward 
profession — and  it  w^ill  appear  that  there  are  but  a  few,  in  all  the 
kingdoms  and  states,  that  profess  the  pure  doctrines  of  the  gos- 
pel. 

Then,  out  of  the  several  denominations  which  profess  the 
pure  doctrines  of  salvation,  set  aside  all  the  lukewarm  professors, 
who  have  a  form  of  Godliness,  but  are  destitute  of  the  power — 
all  prayerless  persons — all  carnal  worldlings — and  all  self  de- 
ceived hypocrites,  who  are  resting  upon  something  beside  a  sav- 
ing union  to  Christ; — and  then  will  it  not  appearthat  there  are 
but  a  few^  saved-only  a  remnant  of  the  himian  race — perhaps 
scarcely  one  among  ten  thousand?  w^iile  all  the  rest  remain  in 
a  state  of  wrath  and  condemnation — all  preparuag  as  fuel  for  the 
flames  of  hell. 

But  the  sraallness  of  the  number  saved,  will  appear,  still  more 
plain,  if  we  consider  the  late  blessed  revival,  which  we  saw  in 
this  country — how  few,  in  comparison  with  the  whole  of  our 
congregations,  that  seemed  to  be  awakened  to  a  deep  and  affect- 
ing sense  of  their  guilt  and  misery!  And  how  few  of  those  who 
were  aw^akened,  gave  solid  evidences  of  a  sound  conversion! 
Perhaps  at  the  most  charitable  calculation,  not  one  tenth.  Se- 
lect from  our  public  assemblies,  those  persons  w'ho  have  felt  the 
pangs  of  the  new  birth,  and  savingly  closed  with  Christ,  and 
alas  their  number  is  so  small  that  they  would  scarcely  be  missed; 
w^hile  all  the  remainder,  b>  far  the  greater  part,  are  lying  in  a 
state  of  wrath  just  upon  the  breaking  brink  of  damnation.  O! 
how  large,  how  deep  and  wide  must  that  infernal  gulf  be,  that 
contains  the  fallen  angels,  who  lost  their  primitive  happiness, 
and  has  received  by  far  the  greater  part  of  the  human  race  in 
every  age,  from  the  creation  of  the  world! 

How  many  thousands  and  tens  of  thousands,  are  going  down 
every  hour,  and  every  moment!  Perhaps  at  this  very  instant, 
some  thousands  of  poor  Christless  sinners  are  giving  their  last 
expiring  gasp!  Perhaps  at  this  very  moment,  thousands  are 
just  opening  their  eyes,  in  this  horrible,  burning  hell !  just  com- 
mencing their  fruitless  groans,  and  beginning  to  feel  the  pangs 
and  tortures,  which  will  never  end! 

IV.  ''^  The  pile  thereof  is  fire  and  much  icood.'"'  Here  the 
prophet,  by  the  most  striking  and  majestic  figures,  describes  the 
inconceivable  horrors,  miseries,  and  torments  which  devils  and 


TEX   DOOM   or   THX   nCPSVlTKKT.  ^O 

damned  ghosts  of  Adam's  race,  experience  in  the  infernal  ■world. 
These  pains  and  torments,  as  ther  are  the  effects  of  almighty 
power  are  as  they  infflicied  by  the  Omnif»oteni  arm  of  Jehovah, 
are  above  all  human  conception.  Even  tne  tongue  of  the  brightest 
seraph,  could  not  find  iartguage  to  express  them.  As  "Et^  naih 
rvot  i^ecrt,  nor  ear  tt^Mird,  rteithtr  have  entered  into  the  htart  of 
man  iiu  things  zchich  God  hath  prtpaxtdfor  them  ikat  love  himf^ 
so  the  eye  hath  not  seen  nor  the  ear  heard,  neithw  hath  it  enter- 
ed into  the  heart  of  man  to  conceive  the  miseries,  the  pains,  and 
the  horrors,  which  the  infinite  Gcd  hath  prepared  for  all  Christ- 
less  impenitent  sinners.  Here  they  are  described  by  the  figure 
of  a  pile  of  fire  and  much  wood.  By  the  wood  or  6jel,  wc  are 
to  understand  the  nti happy  wretches  who  are  the  aibjects  of 
eternal  torments — devils,  and  damned  souls  and  bodies  of  Adam's 
apostate  family — ail  the  filth  and  refuse  of  the  universe,  whidi 
an  infinitely  holy  and  just  God  regards  as  unfit  for  anv  other 
place — ail  ranks  and  classes  of  ungodly,  impenitent  sinners — 
collected  into  one  horrible  company,  bound  up  in  bundles  and 
piled  together,  for  the  vengeance  of  eternal  fire.  By  the  fire 
we  are  to  understand  all  the  miseries,  pains  and  tortures,  that  an 
infinite  God  can  inflict:  or  immortal  beings  can  pi'ssiblv  endure 
throughout  the  ceaseless  ages  of  eternity.  These  are  also  rer»- 
resented  in  scripture  under  the  metaphor  of  fire  and  brioKtone, 
as  nothing  in  the  material  world  can  gire  so  shocking  an  idea. 
of  pain  and  misery. 

Here  we  will  attempt  some  description  of  the  miseries  of  lids 
unhappy  world.  And  here  the  united  wisdom  and  eloqu«iceof 
men  and  angels,  come  infinitely  short  of  the  tasL  Xothinsr  less 
than  the  infinite  mind,  of  the  eternal  God  can  lorm  aa  ad^joate 
idea  of  iu 

1st.  One  ingredient  oi  their  misery,  is  the  horribit  commaxu 
to  which  they  are  forever  confined. 

How  pamtul  and  distressing  would  it  be  tor  any  one  of  vou. 
to  be  shut  up,  tor  one  night,  in  a  dark  room,  with  no  other  com- 
pany than  the  Devil  in  some  hideous  forml  But  here,  poor  dame- 
ed  sinneis.  are  eternally  shut  up  in  the  dark  dungeon  of  helL 
where  not  one  ray  of  divine  mercy  ever  enters — ^where  the 
smallest  gleam  of  hope  never  comes, — and  that  in  the  worst  of 
company: — with  no  other  cii'mpanions  than  black  horrible, 
devils,  and  ail  the  ungodjy  wretches  oi  the  human  race,  who  are 
deemed  by  eternal  justice  tmnt  for  any  other  place. 

2nd.  AJiother  ingredient  of  their  misery  is  this — The  image 
of  the  Devil  which  they  brought  into  this  world  by  vinne  of  the 
fell  oi  Adam  will  then  be  complete.  They  will  be  as  like  the 
Devil,  in  their  tempers  and  dispositions,  as  their  nature  can  pos- 
sibly admit-  Then  every  possible  restraint  shall  be  taken  from 
their  comiptions;  and  their  eomity  against  God,  and  everv  sin- 


346  tHE    DOOM    Of    THE    iMPENlTlENl'. 

ful  propensity,  will  be  brought  to  full  perfection.  There  they 
shall  have  the  most  perfect  sense  of  their  loss.  This  will  be 
intolerable.  The  loss  of  God,  who  is  the  source  of  all  good,  and 
the  only  happyfying  portion  of  immortal  beings;  the  loss  ot  Christ, 
the  only  friend  of  sinners,  and  the  loss  of  his  whole  salvation  which 
was  purchased  at  no  less  expense,  than  the  heart's  blood  and  dy- 
ing groans  of  a  God; — the  loss  of  heaven,  with  all  its  unspeakable 
joys  and  ineti'able  glories;  the  loss  of  an  ^^eiceeding  and  eternal 
weight  of  glory  f'  the  loss  of  their  own  souls,  which  are  worth  more 
than  ten  thousand  worlds;  the  loss  of  all  the  means  of  grace,  calls 
and  offers   of  mercy;  and  the  loss  of  all  possibility  of  hope. 

3rd.  Another  ingredient  of  their  misery,  is  the  dreadful  and 
racking  accusations  of  conscience,  which,  like  a  never  dying 
worm,  gnaws  upon  their  vitals.  Conscience,  which  once  they 
stifled  and  murdered,  now  awakes  like  a  giant  refreshed  with 
wine,  and  roars  with  a  voice  more  dreadful,  than  ten  thousand 
thunders.  Conscience,  brings  fresh  to  their  remembrance  the 
whole  black  catalogue  of  all  their  sins  of  thought,  word  and  ac- 
tions—all the  calls,  warnings  and  invitations  of  the  Lord  Jesus, 
which  they  have  despised  and  rejected.  Conscience  presents 
eternallj'  to  their  view,  all  the  motions  and  impulses  of  the  Di- 
vine Spirit,  which  they  quenched — all  the  pungent  convictions 
which  they  have  murdered.  Yea,  conscience  eternally  holds 
up  before  their  sight  the  blood  of  the  Son  of  God,  which  they 
have  so  often  slighted  and  trodden  under  foot;  and  this  they  feel 
indeed  to  be  the  very  hell  of  hells — the  very  emphasis  of  dam- . 
nation. 

To  this,  we  may  add,  the  constant  and  unintermpted  com- 
munications of  Jehovah's  pure  and  unmixed  burning  wrath 
which  preys  upon  the  immortal  part,  in  a  manner  more  incon- 
ceivably dreadful,  than  that  of  a  burning,  fiery  furnace  upon  a 
natural  body. 

This  seems  to  be  plainly  held  forth,  in  the  last  part  of  our 
text. — ''''The  pile  thereof  is  fire  and  mtich  wood,  the  breath  of  the 
Lord  like  a  stream  of  brimstone  doth  kindle  it.'''' 

This  supposes  that  the  Almighty  Jehovah  exerts  his  perfec- 
tions to  the  utmost,  to  make  them  completely  and  eternally  mis- 
erable; that  his  boundless  wisdom  which  planned  the  universe, 
and  invented  the  laws  by  which  all  nature  are  governed,  which 
devised  and  revealed  the  plan  of  redemption  to  a  dying  world, 
is  now  exerted  to  the  utmost,  in  devising  pains  and  racking  tor- 
ments; and  his  Omnipotence,  is  eternally  displayed  in  execut- 
ing them  upon  the  damned.  But  what  the  wrath  of  a  sin  aveng- 
ing God  is,  who  can  tell?  Or  what  are  the  pains  and  tortures, 
which  infinite  wisdom  can  invent,  and  his  almighty  powerinflict, 
no  created  mind  can  conceive.  Nothing  less  than  the  eternal 
mind  of  God  can  comprehend  them.     Even  a  distant  view  of 


THE    DOOM   OF    THE    IMPENITENT.  347 

them  in  the  present  world  is  of  all  things  else,  the  most  intolera- 
ble. 

Hear  the  insufferable  groans  and  hideous  outcries  of  Spira 
even  before  he  left  the  world.  See  Altamont  worn  to  skin  and 
bones  blaspheming  God  and  cursing  himself,  continually  crying 
out,  0  torture,  torture! — O  torture,  torture!  Hear  unhappy 
Newport  crying,  I  had  but  a  little  pleasure  in  this  world,  and  now 
I  must  have  hell  forevermore.  O!  that  God  would  suffer  me  to 
lie  forever  at  the  back  of  a  common  fire  on  earth;  but  I  must  go 
to  hell — I  must  go  to  the  furnace  of  hell,  for  millions  of  millions 
of  ages!  But  all  this  gives  us  not  the  most  distant  idea  of  what  re- 
ally are  the  miseries  of  the  infernal  world.  Were  all  the  misery, 
pains,  diseases,  and  tortures,  ever  felt  by  the  whole  human  race 
since  the  creation  of  the  world  collected  into  one,  and  laid  upon 
one  person,  this  would  not  do.  Add  to  this  again  ten  thousand 
times  the  horrors,  pangs,  and  racking  tortures  that  Spira  felt;  all 
this,  collectively,  would  not  amount  to  the  pain  and  torments  of 
one  twinge  of  divine  wrath  in  the  infernal  world.  For  all  this 
is  only  the  effect  of  created  power :  but  the  torments  of  hell 
are  produced  by  the  power  of  an  infinite  God. 

But,  in  vain  do  we  try  to  alarm  poor  sinners,  by  pointing  out 
the  horrors  of  hell,  or  the  miseries  of  an  unconverted  state. 
Were  one  to  rise  from  the  dead  and  describe  them,  from  his 
own  wretched  experience,  it  would  have  no  abiding  effect. 
Says  Rutherford,  if  it  were  possible  to  set  open  to  the  sinner's 
view,  the  burning  lake  of  hell — and  were  they  for  thirty  years 
to  see  its  fiery  billows  rolling — and  to  hear  the  yells  and  groans 
of  the  damned  ghosts,  roaring  under  the  burning  wrath  of  an 
angry  God;  yea,  were  Dives  to  come  up  from  the  furnace  of 
hell  and  to  shew  to  sinners  the  stripes  and  scars  which  he  has 
received  from  the  Devil's  scorpions — were  he  to  bring  up  the 
red  hot  coals  of  God's  wrath,  as  large  as  mountains,  yet  all  this 
would  not  persuade  one  sinner  to  repent. 

44 


SERMON  XXXII. 

THE    SAVING  SIGHT. 

"fTe  would  see  Jesus.''''     John,  xii.  21, 


Man  ever  delights  to  behold,  to  contemplate  and  admire,  that 
object  which  possesses  his  highest  esteem,  which  holds  the  as- 
cendency in  his  affections.  The  miser  loves  to  look  at  his  gold, 
to  handle  it,  and  count  it — and  that,  because  it  is  his  portion  and 
his  happiness.  The  man  of  the  world  delights  to  see  his  beau- 
tiful farms,  his  flocks  and  herds,  and  large  possessions;  because 
his  chief  happiness  is  bound  up  in  them.  The  drunkard  loves 
to  look  upon  the  bottle  and  the  intoxicating  bowl, — The  very 
sight  of  them  warms  his  heart  and  elevates  his  mind;  because 
in  them  is  contained  his  chief  pleasure  and  the  greatest  satis- 
faction which  he  enjoys  in  life.  So,  also,  the  real  christian,  the 
new  born  child  of  God,  loves  to  see  Jesus  and  behold  his  glory, 
and  with  joy,  delight  and  wonder,  to  admire  and  adore  his  soul 
attracting  beauty  and  loveliness;  and  for  this  reason — he  is  the 
centre  of  his  love,  his  portion,  his  inheritance,  and  the  soul  and 
substance  of  his  happiness.  Christ,  in  his  esteem,  is  the  fairest 
among  ten  thousand  and  altogether  lovely.  He  fills  his  heart 
and  his  affections — he  is  dearer  to  his  soul  than  life  itself,  with 
all  its  plea«nr«'s  and  comforts;  and  his  greatest  happiness  on 
earth,  is  to  '''see  Jesus'''' — to  have  sweet  communion  and  fellow- 
ship with  liim,  and  to  feel  his  love  shed  abroad  in  his  heart;  yea, 
the  very  heaven  after  which  his  soul  longs  and  pants,  is  to  '-see 
Jesus''^ — to  see  him  forever  and  be  like  him. 

The  text  contains  a  short  compend  of  the  christian's  exercise, 
and  is  expressive  of  the  desires  and  longingsof  their  souls.  Je- 
sus is  the  lovely  o!)ject,  that  atti'Cts  their  whole  hearts — that 
engiosse?  their  wannest  affections;  and,  therefitre  when  they 
see  him  and  obtain  a  view  of  liis  glory,  they  enjoy  the  first  fruits 
of  Itcaven  in  their  souls — tliey  feel  the  dawnings  of  immortal 
glory  within  them:  their  hard  hearts  are  softened — their  cold 
hearts  are  enflamed — their  in-bred   corruptions  are  weakened 


THE    SAVING    SIGHT.  349 

— and  all  the  graces  of  the  Divine  Spirit  are  quickened  and 
strengthened.  Wlien  they  "sec  Je-vi/s"  they  experience  a  bliss 
which  all  the  empires,  crowns  and  thrones,  in  the  universe  could 
not  give.  When  'hey  do  not  enjoy  his  presence — when  the 
sight  of  his  bright  glories  is  withheld — they  feel  an  empty  void 
within,  the  world  could  never  fill.  Nothing  but  a  view  of  Jesus 
can  afford  them  happiness.  When  they  are  bewailing  the  hid- 
ings of  his  face  and  all  is  darkness  on  every  side,  ask  them  what 
will  remove  their  complaints  and  satisfy  their  fainting  burdened 
souls.  At  once  they  will  tell  you,  that  a  view  of  Christ — a  sight 
of  Jesus  is  all  they  want.  When  their  iniquities  prevail,  and, 
like  Lazarus,  they  are  full  of  loathsome  sores,  in  amoral  sense, 
then  ask  them  what  will  ease  their  pains  and  heal  their  broken 
bones. — They  will  tell  }ou  one  smile  from  Jesus.  When  they 
are  struggling  with  the  frowns,  crosses  and  disappointments  of 
the  world — when  the  Providence  of  God  seems  to  run  in  direct 
opposition  to  all  his  gracious  promises,  and  all  things  seem  to  be 
against  them — and  their  case  looks  so  dark  and  hopeless  that 
they  know  not  what  to  make  of  it—then  inquire  of  them  what 
will  kill  their  unbelief  and  silence  their  repinings  and  murmurs 
against  God,  with  which  they  are  tormented, — they  will  tell  you, 
it  is  a  view  of  Christ.  One  look  from  Jesus,  says  the  afflicted 
soul  would  bow  my  h*eart  in  sweet  submission  to  God;  this 
would  quicken  my  weak  faith — give  me  a  heavenly  content- 
ment—-and  cause  me  to  rejoice  in  the  sovereignty  of  God.  Ask 
the  believing  soul,  at  what  time  he  enjoyed  the  greatest  comfort 
and  satisfaction — he  will  tell  you  it  was  when  he  saw  Jesus. 
Ask  him  when  the  world  with  all  its  pomp  and  glory  appeared 
the  smallest,  in  his  esteem- — when  thrones  and  kingdoms  seem- 
ed only  to  be  children's  toys— -he  will  tell  you  it  was  when  he 
saw  Jesus.  Ask  him  when  it  was  that  he  had  the  most  humb- 
ling and  self  abasing  views  of  sin— -when  it  appeared  most  dis- 
honorable to  God  and  destructive  to  the  soul — he  will  answer  it 
was  when  he  saw  Jesus.  Ask  liim  when  it  was  that  his  heart 
was  almost  ready  to  break  with  pity  and  compassion  for  ungodly 
sinners — when  he  groaned  and  travailed  in  birth  for  his  uncon- 
verted friends  and  neighbors — he  will  answer  it  was  when  he 
saw  Jesus. 

Ask  him  why  he  prays  in  secret  with  groanings  which  can- 
not be  uttered — he  will  tell  you  he  would  see  Jesus.  Ask  him 
why  he  prays  in  his  family — why  he  attends  the  house  of  God 
and  listens  to  the  preaching  of  the  word  as  if  for  life  and  death: 
it  is  because  he  would  see  Jesus. 

When  he  returns  from  the  ordinances  of  God  with  the  same 
complaints,  which  he  carried  with  him,— -with  the  same  cold 
dead,  and  unaffected  heart,  bemoaning  his  case  and  sadly  disap, 
pointed — inquire  the  cause  of  all  his  complaints,  woes  and  sor- 


350  THE    SAVING    SIGHT. 

rows — he  will  tell  you  he  did  not  see  Jesus.^  Ask  of  him  wbj 
he  spends  his  days  in  grief  and  sadness,  like  one  bannished  from 
his  father's  house — why  he  complains  of  an  absent  God,  a  care- 
less heart  and  a  painful  uneasiness,  and  yet  makes  no  vigorous 
exertions  for  relief:  it  is  because  it  has  been  so  long  since  he 
saw  Jesus.  Indeed,  the  believer's  great  object,  from  the 
moment  of  his  converson  till  the  hour  of  his  death  is,  that  he 
may  see  Jesus — that  he  may  behold  his  glory  and  enjoy  sweet 
sensible  communion  with  him  here  below;  and  that  he  may  see 
him  eternally  as  he  is,  and  forever  enjoy  him  in  the  world  of 
glory  and  blessedness  above. 

The  words  of  the  text  were  spoken  at  that  memorable  period, 
when  our  blessed  Lord  and  Redeemer  rode  triumphantly  into 
Jerusalem — when  he  went  up  to  the  passover,  upon  which  oc- 
casion he  bled  and  died  upon  the  cross,  thereby  finishing  the 
work  which  his  Father  gave  him  to  do,  in  the  completion  of  the 
work  of  redemption.  Not  long  previous  to  this  time,  our  Lord 
had  performed  that  glorious  miracle  of  raising  Lazarus  from 
the  dead.  The  fame  of  this  miracle,  and  hosannas  and  divine 
honors  which  were  paid  him,  upon  his  entering  the  city,  caused 
great  multitudes  of  the  people  to  flock  from  all  quarters  to  see 
him:  many  from  curiosity,  and  some  from  a  desire  for  instruc- 
tion. Among  these,  were  certain  Greeks— -either  gentle  Greeks 
proselyted  to  the  Jewish  religion,  or  else  some  of  the  dispersed 
Jews  who  came  from  some  of  the  Grecian  States  to  attend  the 
feasts  of  the  Passover.  Some  of  these  came  to  Philip  of  Beth- 
saida,  and  expressed  to  him  their  desire  to  see  Jesus. — "5'/r,  tte 
ivould  sec  Jesus.^''  It  is  not  agreed  upon  what  principle  they 
desired  to  see  Christ,  or  have  an  interview  with  him.  Some 
suppose  it  was  only  from  curiosity;,  others  that  it  was  from  a 
pious  desire  of  hearing  his  doctrines  and  receiving  some  divine 
instruction  from  him.  Be  this  as  it  may,  the  words  speak  the 
exercise  and  desires  of  every  soul  that  is  born  of  God. 

Then,  in  the  examination  of  this  subject,  we  shall  attend  to. 
the  following  important  inquiries:-— 

I.  Who  are  they  that  desire  to  see  Jesus. 

II.  What  is  a  view  of  Christ. 

III.  Where  is  He  to  be  seen. 

IV.  What  is  to  be  seen  in  him. 

V.  What  effect  a  view  of  Jesus  produces  on  the  soul. 

VI.  Why  every  genuine  christian  desires  to  see  Jesus. 

I,  Who  are  they  that  desire  to  see  Jesus?  1st.  The  awak- 
ened sinner  who  feels  himself  totally  lost  and  undone;  he  who 
groans  under  the  burden  of  unpardoned  guilt  with  heart  rend- 
ing ano-uish  and  distress,  who,  like  the  woman  with  the  bloody 
issue  that  spent  all  lier  living  upon  other  physicians,  have  tried 
to  wear  off  their  convictions,  by  the  pursuits,  the  cares  and  anx- 


THE    SAVING    SIGHT.  35 1 

ieties  of  the  world;  who  have  tried  to  pray  or  weep  them  away; 
or  to  ease  his  conscience  in  something  short  of  a  sound  conver- 
sion; but  all  in  vain:  his  pain  and  angush  increase — the  wound 
in  his  heart  grows  corrupt  and  festers;  and  his  case  seems  to 
grow  worse  and  worse.  His  heart  remains  within  as  cold 
as  hard  and  obdurate  as  a  rock — and  as  immoveable  as  a 
mountain.  The  more  he  prays  and  struggles  against  the  cor- 
ruptions of  his  heart,  the  more  it  seems  to  abound  with  filthy 
lusts,  blasphemous  thoughts,  and  vile  imagination.  He  esteems 
his  prayers,  sin  and  rebellion;  yet  pray  he  must-— he  dare  not 
omit  it,  as  the  pain  of  damnation  and  the  curse  of  God  pursue 
him  close;  and  vengeance  gathers  thick  with  dreadful  black- 
ness, just  ready  to  burst  upon  his  guilty  soul.  He  is  now  shut 
up  to  the  only  door  of  hope,  viz.  faith  in  Christ.  He  is  com- 
manded to  believe,  to  fly  to  Christ,  or  perish.  He  has  to  exer- 
cise faith,  but  he  can  as  soon  raise  the  dead  or  create  a  world. 
And  now  he  feels  his  utter  helplessness;  and,  like  a  poor  con- 
demned wretch,  he  falls  at  the  feet  of  mercy,  with  no  other  plea 
but  that  of  guilty.  Here  he  resolves  to  lie,  and  if  he  perish, 
to  perish  at  Jesus'  feet  begging  for  mercy.  Matters  have  now 
come  to  the  worst,  he  feels  that  he  must  have  Christ—  that  he 
cannot  live  without  him.  How  painfully  and  earnestly  does 
the  poor  burdened  sinner  desire  to  "^ee  Jesus.''''  Never  did  a 
captive  slave  in  the  Spanish  mines  long  so  anxiously  for  free- 
dom; never  did  the  condemned  criminal,  confined  in  the  dun- 
geon, under  the  horrors  of  approaching  death,  long  so  earnestly 
for  a  pardon;  as  the  sinner  does  to  see  Jesus— to  obtain  one  lock 
of  divine  mercy. 

2d.  The  backsliding  believer  who  has  sinned  away  his  former 
comforts — who  has  pierced  and  grieved  the  loving  Jesus,  and 
provoked  him  to  withhold  his  gracious  visits-— how  anxiously 
does  he  desire  to  see  Jesus.  He  feels  an  empty  void  in  his  soul 
which  the  world  with  all  its  pleasures  cannot  satisfy.  None  but 
Jesus  can  afford  him  comfort.  He  seeks  him  from  ordinance  to 
ordinance,  and  in  anguish  of  soul  he  cries,  O  that  I  knew  where 
I  might  find  him- — I  would  come  even  to  his  seat.  All  his  for- 
mer joys — his  past  experiences  and  comfortable  seasons,  do  him 
no  more  good  now,  than  the  food  which  a  man  ate  months  ago. 
He  must  have  a  new  discovery  of  Christ;  and  therefor^,  he 
must  come  as  poor,  helpless,  and  wretched  as  he  did  at  first. 
He  must  see  the  exceeding  sinfulness  of  his  nature — that  all  he 
does  is  impure  in  the  sight  of  a  holy  God. 

3rd.  TJje  soul  that  has  seen  Jesus  and  tasted  of  his  love,  de- 
sires to  sec  him  and  feels  his  love  continually  shed  abroad  in  his 
heart. 

Although  a  view  of  the  glory  of  God  in  Christ  affords  the 
greatest  possible  happiness  which  man    can    know  this  side  of 


352  THE    SAVINS    SIGHT. 

heaven,  3'etevery  view  of  the  divine  glory  leaves  a  longinganxiety 
in  the  soul  after  him — after  new  and  more  glorious  discoveries 
of  Ills  perfections.  The  more  gold  the  miser  possesses,  the  more 
does  his  thirst  for  gold  increase.  The  beauties  and  glories 
which  the  soul  discovers  in  Christ,  increase  the  longing  anxiety 
of  the  soul  to  see  and  enjoy  him. 

II.  What  is  a  view  of  Christ. 

Now,  since  it  is  a  -view  of  Christ,  and  nothing  else,  which 
calms  the  troubled  conscience,  and  quenches  the  sparks  of  di- 
vine wrath — since  it  is  a  view  of  him,  that  fills  the  soul  with 
unspeakable  joy  and  peace  in  believing,  and  begets  a  lively 
scriptural  hope  of  heaven  and  immortal  ulory — it  is  a  matter  of 
infinite  concern  to  each  of  us  to  know,  what  it  is  to"5ee  Jesu:.^^ 
Then,  to  speak  negatively. — 

1st.  It  is  by  no  means  a  view  of  Christ,  which  the  soul  has, 
when  the  burden  of  pain  and  distress  was  removed  in  such  a 
way,  that  the  person  can  give  no  reasonable  account  of  it.  A 
view  of  Christ  is  a  sensible  thing;  and  he  thatenjoysit  can  give 
a  rational  and  scriptural  account  of  the  matter. 

2nd.  It  is  by  no  means  that  joy,  peace,  and  comfort,  which 
proceed  from  extraordinary  enlargements  in  prayer,  or  from 
uncommon  commotions  of  the  passions,  or  softening  and  melting 
of  the  affections;  for  although  these  things  may  attend  a  saving 
view  of  Christ,  yet  they  are  essentially  different  from  it. 

3rd.  Nor  is  it  the  effect  of  any  particular  promise  or  passage 
of  scripture  brought  into  the  mind.  True,  in  conversion,  the 
promises  of  scripture  may  be  brought  to  mind,  but  then  such 
divine  light  is  cast  upon  them  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  as  discovers 
the  glory  of  Christ.  The  Devil  is  capable  of  applying  scrip- 
ture and  introducing  its  promises  to  the  mind,  for  the  purpose  of 
deceiving;. 

4th.  It  is  not  a  visible  light  or  apparition,  which  is  to  be 
seen  by  the  eye  of  the  body,  nor  sound  that  can  be  heard  by 
the  ear:  it  is  nothing  which  can  be  received  by  the  external  or- 
gans of  sense;  neither  can  it  be  communicated  in  dreams  or 
visions.  These,  for  the  most  part,  are  delusions  of  the  Devil. 
Nor  is  it  any  ideal  image  of  nature,  drawn  upon  the  imagina- 
tion, that  can  be  comprehended  by  the  weak  capacity  of  the 
creature ;  such  as  some  tell  us,  they  have  seen,  not  with  the  bodily 
eye,  but  with  the  eye  of  imagination; — something  in  the  form 
of  a  man  bleeding  and  dying  on  a  cross.  They  have  seen  his 
bloody  robe — the  wound  in  his  side- — and  the  blood  running  in 
streams.  This  is  no  view  of  Christ,  but  a  deception  of  the 
Devil;  for  in  a  saving  view  of  Christ,  the  object  discovered  is 
nothing  which  can  be  seen  by  the  bodily  eye,  heard  by  the  ear, 
or  comprehended  by  the  organs  of  sense;  nor  yet  any  ideal  im- 
age formed  in  the  imagination.     The  object  is  infinite  and  in- 


THB    SATING    SIGHT.  353 

comprehensible — only  to  be  seen  by  the  eye  of  the  understand- 
ing when  enlightened  by  the  Spirit  of  God. 

But,  positively — a  saving  view  of  Christ  is  a  sight  of  the  glo- 
ry of  God  in  ths  face  of  Jesus;  for  he  is  the  brightness  of  his 
Father's  glory  and  the  express  image  of  his  person. — It  is  to 
behold  the  attributes  of  God.  This  is  evident  from  the  instance 
of  Moses  who  prayed  to  the  Lord,  saying,  ^^ I  beseech  thee,  shew 
me  thy  glory.''''  This  request  is  granted,  and  what  does  he  see? 
The  perfections  of  God.  The  Lord  proclaims  himself  before 
him.  "T/<e  Lord,  the  Lord  God.  merciful  and  gracious,  long 
suffering,  and  abundant  in  goodness  and  truth,  keeping  mercy  for 
thousands,  forgiving  iniquity  and  transgressions  and  sin,  and 
that  will  by  no  means  clear  the  guilty,'^''  Then  to  '-*see  Jesus,''"'  is 
to  behold  the  holiness,  justice,  wisdom,  power  and  mercy,  truth 
and  goodness  of  the  Deity,  manifested  and  gloriously  displayed 
in  the  active  and  passive  obedience  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
This  is  the  view  which  calms  the  troubled  conscience,  melts  the 
hard  heart,  and  transforms  the  soul  into  the  image  of  God — 
which  communicates  unspeakable  joy  and  comfort  to  the  soul 
and  begets  a  well  founded  hope  of  heaven  and  immortal  glory. 
This  glorious  object  is  not  seen  by  the  eye  of  the  body,  or  of 
the  imagination;  but  yet  is  plainly  and  conspicuously  beheld 
by  the  understanding. 

in.     Where  is  Christ  to  be  seen. 

In  answer  to  this,  I  would  say,  Christ  is  to  be  seen  in  his  word 
— the  scriptures  of  eternal  truth.  The  Bible  is  the  treasury  in 
which  this  pearl  of  Great  price  is  hid,  and  all  that  is  wanting 
is  spiritual  eyes  to  see  it  in  every  page  and  in  every  sentence. 
It  is  very  true,  that  no  man  can  see  Christ  or  behold  his  glory 
until  that  God,  who  at  first  commanded  light  to  shine  out  of 
darkness,  shines  into  his  heart  by  the  enlightening  influences 
of  his  Spirit,  and  gives  him  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the 
glory  of  God,  in  the  face  of  Jesus;  yet  the  word  of  divine  rev- 
elation, is  the  medium  through  which  Christ  is  seen,  and  his 
amiable  excellences  discovered.  This  affords  the  children  of 
God,  the  most  rational  and  solid  foundation  for  true  comfort,  and 
permanent  hope:  for  then  they  have  the  witness  both  of  the 
word  and  Spirit  of  the  God  of  truth,  to  prove  the  reality  of  their 
spiritual  exercises  and  experience.  And  so,  by  the  mouth  of 
two  witnesses  the  whole  is  established.  The  word  was  indited 
by  the  Spirit,  and  by  it,  he  attests  the  genuineness  of  the  work 
of  grace  in  the  heart.  Therefore  every  sight  of  Christ — and 
every  view  of  his  glory,  accords  with  the  description  given  in 
the  word  of  God.  Permit  me  also  to  observe,  that  a  saving 
view  of  Christ,  is  no  new  revelation  distinct  from  that  contain- 
ed in  the  scriptures,  but  simply  a  divine  illumination  of  the  mind, 
'enabling  it  to  understand  the  spiritual  meaning  of  what  is  al- 


364  THE    SAVING    SIGHT. 

ready  revealed.  This  is  manifest  from  the  cause  of  the  two  dis- 
ciples when  overtaken  by  Jesus  in  the  way  to  Emmaus.  The 
Spirit  explains  the  Scripture,  and  gives  the  soul  to  behold  Je- 
sus in  his  word  and  promises — to  see  him  as  exhibited  in  the 
gospel;  and  hence  the  Bible  seems  to  be  a  new  book  to  every 
soul  when  converted. — He  is  astonished  at  his  former  blindness 
and  stupidity.  Before,  he  had  read  the  Bible,  and  thought  he 
understood  it;  but  still  it  was  a  sealed  book;  Christ,  the  pearl 
of  great  price,  he  could  not  discover:  but  now  he  can  "see  Je- 
sus'"'  throughout  the  whole  word  of  God;  and  through  this  me- 
dium, as  with  a  glass,  he  beholds  the  fertile  fields  of  glory,  and 
the  rivers  of  the  water  of  life  which  flow  through  the  Paradise 
of  God.  Here  by  the  light  of  the  Spirit,  he  can  read  his  title 
to  the  heavenly  inheritance,  and  prove  the  reality  of  his  union 
to  Christ. 

Some  may  ask— -is  he  not  to  be  seen  in  all  the  ordinances  of 
his  house?  Yes;  but  even  then  it  is  by  the  light  of  the  Spirit 
shining  through  the  medium  of  divine  revelation.  Many  a 
sweet  interview  has  the  soul  had  with  Jesus  in  secret. — In  the 
lonely  wood — in  the  thicket- -or  at  the  foot  of  a  tree,  he  meets 
with  his  deciples  and  shows  them  his  pierced  hands  and  feet, 
and  permits  them  to  look  into  his  bleeding  side.  There  he  gives 
them  sweet  tokens  of  his  love,  he  opens  his  ear  to  their  com- 
plaints, and  graciously  suffers  them  to  pour  their  woes  and  sor- 
rows into  his  bosom.  Sometimes  he  graciously  vouchsafes  to 
meet  them  in  their  families—and  turns  in  to  lodge  with  them. 
And  O,  how  mean  and  contemptible  do  the  pomp  and  glory  of 
this  world  seem,  when  Christ  is  under  their  roof!  Sometimes 
when  they  go  to  his  house  seeking  him,  with  sorrowful  looks 
and  weeping  eyes,  their  hope  almost  gone,  and  faith  ready  to 
fail,  expecting  to  find  themselves  hypocrites  and  self  deceivers: 
lo,  to  their  sweet  surprise  he  appears  in  the  galleries  of  his 
grace— -they  behold  him  clothed  in  all  his  soul  ravishing  beau- 
ty, and  smiling  upon  them,  and  saying,  ''•Peace  be  unto  you." 
''Peace J  I  leave  with  you;  my  peace  I  give  unto  you.  Let  not 
you?'  heart  be  troubled,  neither  let  it  be  afraid.''''  Sometimes  he 
meets  them  at  his  table.  Then  he  appears  to  their  view,  clad 
in  the  dyed  garments  of  salvation — in  his  vesture  dipped  in 
blood. 

Then  he  describes  the  thorns  he  wore, 
An  J  tells  his  bloody  passion  o'er. 

He  shows  all  the  scarlet  streams  of  divine  blood  flowing  from 
all  his  open  veins,  until  their  hearts  are  broken  with  deep  con- 
trition and  penitential  sorrow  for  sin;  and  then  their  hearts 
love,  adore  and  wonder;  and  are  lost  in  the  boundless  ocean 


THE   SAVING    SIGHT.  355 

of  the  love  of  God.  At  the  same  time,  bow  does  the  enmity 
of  their  hearts  rise  againt  sin- — they  hate  themselves  and  sink 
into  (he  dust  with  shame  and  self  loathing, 

IV.     What  is  to  be  seen  in  Christ. 

This  is  a  question  which  all  the  angels  in  heaven,  and  all 
the  redeemed  saints  of  God,  both  in  the  church  militant  and 
the  church  triumphant,  could  not  resolve,  while  eternity  rolls 
its  perpetual  round;  for  all  the  infinite  glories  and  perfections  of 
the  Deity  are  essentially  in  him. 

Saith  the  Spirit,  "/n  him  dwelleth  all  the  fullness  of  the  God- 
head bodily.''''  '•''Canst  thou  by  searching  find  out  God?  canst  thou 
find  out  the  Almighty  unto  perfection?  It  is  high  as  heaven; 
what  canst  thou  know  ?  The  measure  thereof  is  longer  than  the 
earth,  and  broader  than  the  sea.''"'  As  God,  he  is  the  essence  and 
sum  total  of  all  beauty,  loveliness  and  excellency — the  bound- 
less ocean  of  perfection  and  the  immeasurable  fountain  of  Be- 
ing, before  whom  all  other  beings,  and  ranks  of  beings,  are  but 
as  the  drop  of  the  bucket,  or  the  small  dust  of  the  balance, 
yea,  nothing  and  less  than  nothing  and  vanity.  As  Immanuel, 
God  manifested  in  the  flesh,  he  possesses  every  divine  perfection, 
and  every  human  excellency.  Here  faith  can  gaze  and  admire, 
and  drink  from  the  shoreless,  bottomless,  boundless  ocean  of  his 
sufficiency,  all  that  guilty,  ruined,  lost  sinners  can  need.  In 
him  condemned  rebels  may  see  the  suitableness  and  entire  suf- 
ficiency of  the  plan  of  redemption,  devised  by  the  eternal  wis- 
dom of  God,  and  accomplished  by  the  incarnation,  the  obedi- 
ence, and  sufferings  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Here  you  may 
behold  the  height  and  depth,  the  length  and  breadth,  of  the 
love  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus,  which  passeth  all  knowledge;  even 
that  love  which  from  all  eternity  moved  the  compassion  of  Je- 
hovah to  a  lost  world — which  was  manifested  in  the  gift  of  his 
son-— which  pours  from  the  bleeding  heart  of  Jesus — and  flows 
infinitely  free  to  guilty  sinners  of  Adam's  race.  In  him  you  will 
see  the  sweet  harmony  and  union  of  the  divine  attributes.  Here 
you  may  behold  and  understand  that  glorious  mystery  which 
strikes  the  angelic  minds  with  wonder;  God  inflexibly  just 
and  yet  the  justifier  of  the  ungodly  sinner:  sin  punished,  but 
the  sinner  saved.  The  spotless  holiness,  and  inexorable  justice 
of  God  is  displayed  in  the  punishment  of  sin,  and  infinite  good- 
ness and  mercy  manifested  in  its  pardon.  Here  you  may  be- 
hold the  spotless  robe  of  Christ's  law  fulfilling  righteousness, 
wrought  by  him  for  naked  sinners —  for  condemned  criminals, 
who  stand  obnoxious  to  the  curses  of  the  divine  law:  exposed 
to  the  fury  of  Almighty  vengeance.  This  spotless  robe  is  suited 
by  eternal  wisdom  to  every  case  and  condition — it  fits  precisely 
every  sinner,  of  every  age,  sex,  size  and  description.  It  has 
stood  the  inspection  of  a  God — inflexible  justice  has  tested  its 

4» 


356  THE    SAVING    SIGHT. 

every  part;  and  the  most  abominable  cursed,  sinner,  if  clothed 
with  it,  stands  justified  before  God — is  acknowledged  a  child 
and  heir  of  God,  and  joint  heir  with  Christ.  All  are  invited  to 
come  and  live.  The  Almighty  Creator  becomes  a  suppliant 
to  the  creatures:  he  beseeches  and  entreats  them  to  come  and 
receive  a  kingdom — an  exceeding  great,  and  eternal  weight  of 
glory  as  a  free  gift,  without  money  and  without  price.  In  a  word, 
come  and  see  in  Christ — what  all  the  wisdom  and  eloquence 
of  men  and  angels,  shall  never  be  able  to  tell.-— Come  and  see 
Jesus;  take  one  faith's  view  of  him,  and  you  will  acknowledge 
that  he  is  fairer  than  the  sons  of  men,  that  he  is  infinitely  deserv- 
ing of  your  highest  love. 

V.     What  are  the  effects  of  a  view  of  Christ. 

let.  A  view  of  Christ,  transforms  the  soul:  ^^But  we  all,  with 
open  face,  beholding  as  in  a  glass,  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  are  chang- 
ed into  the  same  image  from  glory  to  glory,  even  as  by  the  Spirit 
of  the  Lord.''''  By  a  spiritual  view  of  Christ  the  soul  sees  God 
as  he  is — discovers  the  superlative  beauty  and  loveliness  of  the 
divine  attributes;  and  is  thereby  sweetly  constrained  and  pow- 
erfully drawn,  to  choose  and  delight  in  God,  for  what  he  is  of 
himself.  Hence  a  sight  of  Jesus  is  the  first  spring  of  all  true 
love  to  God. 

A  view  of  Christ  impresses  upon  the  soul  the  lively  image  of 
all  the  perfections  of  the  Deity,  and  begets  within  the  same 
temper  and  mind  that  was  in  Jesus;  and,  indeed,  the  soul  may 
be  said  to  be  a  partaker  of  the  divine  nature. 

2nd.  It  humbles  and  abases  the  soul.  This  is  plain  from  the 
exclamation  of  Job. — ^'' I  have  heard  of  thee  by  the  hearing  of  the 
ear;  but  now  mine  eyeseeth  thee;  wherefore,  I  abhor  myself,  and 
repent  in  dust  and  ashes.'''' — "  They  shall  look  upon  me  whom  they 
have  pierced,  and  they  shall  mourn  for  him,  as  one  mourneth  for 
his  only  son,  and  shall  be  in  bitterness  for  him,  as  one  thai  is  in 
bitterness  for  his  first  born.''''  The  same  light  which  discovers 
the  soul  attracting  glories  of  the  Lord,  and  manifests  his  super- 
lative beauty  and  the  loveliness  of  his  attributes,  also  discovers 
to  the  believing  soul  its  own  vileness  and  utter  unworthiness,  and 
humbles  it  under  a  deep  sense  of  shame  and  abhorrence  of  it- 
self. A  faith's  view  of  Jesus  is  the  cause  of  genuine  gospel  re- 
pentance. Before,  the  heart  may  have  been  tortured  with  the 
very  foretastes  of  hell;  but  it  was  not  broken  and  humbled  until 
now.  For  the  divine  light  which  enabled  it  to  behold  the  glo- 
rious holiness  and  purity  of  the  nature  of  God,  also  discovers 
sin  in  all  its  hellish  malignity  and  irreconcileable  enmity  to 
God. 

This,  sinners,  is  a  paradox  to  you,  and  to  all  men  in  their 
unrenewed  state.  What!  a  soul  receiving  the  glories  of  God 
in  Christ,  filled  with  unspeakable  joy  and  comfort,  and  yet 


THE   SAVING   SIGHT.  357 

mourning  and  weeping  with  heart  rending  sorrow — with  as  keen 
anguish  and  piercing  groans,  as  those  of  a  father  for  an  only 
child! 

3rd.  A  view  of  Christ  so  fixes  the  affections,  and  ravishes  all 
the  powers  of  the  soul,  that  it  immediately  becomes  willing  to 
leave  all  for  Christ.  Let  the  sinner  once  "see  /esw5,"  and  that 
moment  he  will  part  with  all  things  for  him:  he  will  sell  all  for 
Jesus,  the  pearl  of  great  price.  All  the  devils  in  hell,  or  men 
upon  earth— -all  the  sweets  of  sin,  the  pleasures  and  profits  of 
the  world-  --cannot  hold  him  from  Jesus.  The  language  of  his 
heart  is  like  that  of  Paul — "Fea,  doubtless^  mid  I  count  all  things 
hut  loss  for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  my 
Lord,''''  Zaccheus  climbed  the  tree  to  see  Jesus,  but  no  sooner 
did  he  become  spiritually  acquainted  with  him,  than  he  forsook 
all  for  Christ— all  his  unjust  gains  and  worldly  advantages. 
The  first  view  of  Christ,  determines  James  and  John  to  leave 
their  father,  to  desert  their  ships,  their  nets,  and  their  worldly 
employment,  and  all,  to  become  his  humble  and  despised  fol- 
lowers. 

4th.  Every  view  of  Christ  leaves  an  anxious  longing  and 
thirst  for  him.  This  will  appear  evident  from  the  example  of 
Moses,  who,  although  he  lived  in  the  nearest  intimacy  with  his 
God — though  Jehovah  conversed  with  him  face  to  face,  as  a  man 
converses  with  his  friend:  all  this  does  not  satisfy  him.  He 
prays  for  closer  communion  and  brighter  discoveries.  Lord  "/ 
beseech  thee  to  show  me  thy  glory.^^  This  is  the  case  of  the 
spouse,  when  she  is  in  his  banquetting  house  under  the  banner 
of  his  love,  she  desires  closer  fellowship  with  him.  '-'Stay  me 
with  Jlagons^  comfort  me  with  apples;  for  lam  sick  of  love.''''  And 
this  is  the  experience  of  every  christian.  In  a  word,  a  view 
of  Christ  breaks  the  hard  heart — warms  the  frozen  heart — and 
gives  life  to  the  dead  soul; — heals  all  diseases  of  the  sin  sick 
soul — subdues  the  power  of  sin-— quickens  the  new  nature — 
and  renders  obedience  easy.  It  fills  the  soul  with  joy  and 
comfort — gives  it  a  taste  of  heaven  upon  earth — and  qualifies 
it  for  immortal  glory* 

VI.     Why  every  genuine  Christian  desires  to  see  Jesus. 

The  true  christian  desires  to  see  Jesus  because — 1st.  A  saving 
view  of  him  removes  the  sense  of  divine  wrath,  gives  peace 
to  the  troubled  conscience,  and  heals  all  the  diseases  and  spir- 
itual maladies  of  the  soul.  Every  christian  feels  himself  a  guil- 
ty, needy,  helpless  and  polluted  creature;  therefore,  he  is  al- 
ways sensible  of  his  dying  need  of  Christ;  and  lies  daily  at  his 
feet,  as  a  poor  beggar,  crying  like  the  distressed  leper — ^'■Lord, 
if  thou  wilt,  thou  canst  make  me  clean:''''  or  like  the  |)oor  woman — - 
'"'If  I  may  but  touch  his  garment,  I  shall  be  whole:''^  or  like  Peter 
when  sinking  in  the  waves — '"'•Lord  save  meP''     None  bqt  Jesus 


358  THE  SAVING    SIGHT. 

can  help — one  look  from  him  would  make  me  whole. 

2nd.  Because  a  view  of  Christ  strengthens  and  quickens  the 
graces  of  the  Spirit,  and  enables  him  to  grow  from  strength  to 
strength  in  the  heavenly  work.  If  one  view  of  the  glory  of 
God  in  Christ  communicates  life  to  the  dead  soul,  and  trans- 
forms it  into  the  divine  image,  the  more  of  such  views  they  have, 
the  more  they  will  love  and  enjoy  God. 

3rd.  Because  a  sight  of  Jesus  is  a  foretaste  of  heaven,  of  the 
immortal  glory  of  the  heavenly  state,  and  of  its  enjoyments; 
gives  him  upon  earth  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory;  and 
bright  hopes  of  joy  above;  such  as  "eye  hatli  not  seen,  nor  the 
ear  heard,  neither  have  entered  into  the  heart  of  man :"  and  gives 
a  blessed  assurance  of  dwelling  forever  in  the  presence  of  the 
Lord — there  to  feast  upon  heavenly  food,  and  drink  of  the  water 
of  life,  springing  from  the  foot  of  the  throne  of  God  and  the 
Lamb. 


SERMON  XXXIII. 


THE  MEETIIVG  OF  CHRIST  AND  HIS  DISCIPI^ES. 


"G^o  quickly^  and  tell  his  disciples  that  he  is  risen  from  the  dead; 
and  behold  he  goeth  before  you  into  Galilee^  there  you  shall  see 
him;  to  I  have  told  you.''''     Matthew,  xxviii.  7. 


^^Good  tidings  of  great  joy,''''  have  been  brought  to  our 
.  wretched  and  ungrateful  world;  and  often  have  lost  sinners  been 
told  of  Christ  Jesus  the  Saviour  of  the  world.  When  he  first 
appeared  on  the  earth  and  was  born  in  Bethlehem  of  Judea, 
the  armies  of  heaven  flew  swift  to  bear  the  joyful  tidings. 
Borne  on  wings  of  love,  they  come  singing  the  heavenly  song — 
^^Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  and  on  earth,  peace,  good  will  to- 
wards inenJ'''  To  the  shepherd  an  angel  tells:  ''^Behold  I  bring 
you  good  tidings  of  great  joy,  which  shall  be  to  all  people.  For 
unto  you  is  born  this  day  in  the  city  of  David,  a  Saviour,  which 
is  Christ  the  Lord.''"' 

When  he  hung  upon  the  cross  by  four  bleeding  wounds,  all 
streaming  with  blood,  pierced  through  the  heart  by  the  soldier's 
spear,  and  pierced  through  both  soul  and  body  by  the  sword  of 
divine  justice, — yet,  although  the  scene  ^^vas  so  bloody  and  so 
dreadful,  that  all  nature  was  convulsed — the  earth  quaked- — the 
I  mountains  shook — the  rocks  rent — and  the  graves  gave  up  the 
\  dead — the  heavens   were  clothed  in  sackcloth — and  the  sun 
;  wrapped  himself  in  darkness, — yet,  says  McLaurin,  this  day  was 
the  noontide  of  everlasting  love — the  meridian  splendor  of  eter- 
I  nal  mercy. — Every  wound  and  every  streammg  vein  spoke  bet- 
ter things  than  the  blood   of  Abel — proclaimed  glad   news   to 
the  chief  of  sinners — pardon,  peace  and  reconciliation  to  God. 
Yes,  every  drop  of  blood  flowing  from   his   streaming   wounds 
and  breaking  heart,  proclaimed  mercy  and  free  salvation  to  the 
'  worst  of  men  and  women. 

But  when  he  rises  from  the  dead,  another  bundle  of  good 
news  is  opened,  which  spreads  joy  throughout  the  hearts  of  his 
followers. 


360  THE    MEETING    OF 

On  the  first  day  of  the  weeek,  very  early  in  the  morning, 
Mary  Magdalene  with  others  of  the  disciples,  with  painful  anx- 
iety visited  the  sepulchre.  And  we  may  observe,  that  the  soul 
that  meets  with  Christ,  never  finds  him  by  seeking  in  a  dull  and 
languid  manner.  "T/ie  kingdom  of  heaven  suffereth  violence^  and 
the  violent  take  it  by  force.''''  The  soul  who  would  meet  Jesus, 
like  the  spouse  in  the  song  of  Solomon,  seeks  him  from  ordinance 
to  ordinance — through  the  streets  and  lanes  of  the  city.  Like 
the  Canaanitish  woman,  he  takes  no  denial,  but  turns  every  re- 
pulse into  an  argument  as  did  the  importunate  widow  in  the 
parable  of  the  unjust  judge.  He  prays  and  never  faints — he  is 
continually  pleading  and  crying  to  God  for  mercy.  His  language 
is  that  of  old  Jacob;  '•'- 1  w'lll  not  Jet  thee  go,  except  though  bless 
TTie."  And  therefore  he  is  often  up  early  in  the  morning,  and 
even  before  day  like  Mary  Magdalene.  This  good  woman  came 
to  the  sepulchre  while  it  was  yet  dark  with  the  other  Mary,  sor- 
rowful and  weeping,  seeking  Jesus.  Tney  are  met  by  the  angel 
who  communicates  to  them  the  joyful  news. — "i?e  is  risen:''^  and 
commands  them  to  "Go  quickly  and  tell  his  disciples  that  he  is 
risen  from  the  dead;  and  behold,  he  goeth  before  you  into  Galilee', 
there  shall  you  see  him:''''  the  women  ran  with  joy  to  communi- 
cate the  happy  news  to  the  disciples  but  before  they  had  reach- 
ed them,  they  are  met  by  Jesus  himself,  saying  "JlZ/  hail!" 
When  the  two  disciples  are  walking  to  Emmaus,  weeping  and 
bewailing  the  loss  of  their  master,  Jesus  draws  nigh  and  travels 
with  them — opens  their  minds  to  understand  the  scriptures — 
and  makes  himself  known  to  them  in  the  breaking  of  bread; 
and  tells  them  to  return  to  Jerusalem  to  the  other  disciples.  And 
while  they  are  telling  them  of  their  meeting  with  Jesus,  their 
Lord  himself  appears  in  the  midst  of  them,  saying,  ^'•Peace  be 
untoyou:''''  just  so  in  the  present  day,  when  a  believing  sinner 
finds  the  Lord  Jesus  and  tastes  his  love,  he  must  straightway 
run  and  tell  his  christian  friends  and  neighbors;  and  it  not  un- 
frequently  happens,  when  relating  his  sweet  views  of  Jesus, 
that  he  himself  appears  in  their  midst  and  blesses  their  souls 
with  feasts  of  heavenly  love. 

It  may  be  well  for  us  to  notice  the  circumstances  of  the  re- 
surrection mentioned  in  the  context. — ^'•And,  behold  there  was  a 
great  earthquake,  for  the  angel  of  the  Lord  descended  from  heaven, 
and  came  and  rolled  hack  the  stone  from,  the  door,  and  sat  upon  it. 
His  countenance  ivas  like  lightning,  andhis  raiment  ichite  as  snow; 
and  for  fear  of  him  the  keepers  did  shake,  and  became  as  dead 
men.^^  This  same  messenger  said  unto  the  women;  ^^Fear  not 
ye;  for  I  know  that  you  seek  Jesus,  which  was  crucified.  He  is 
not  here;  for  he  is  risen,  as  he  said.  Come,  see  the  place  where 
the  Lord  lay.^''  Then,  in  the  words  of  the  text,  he  tells  them — 
"Go  quickly,  and  tell  his  disciples  that  he  has  risen  from  the  dead; 


CHRIST    AND  HIS  DISCIPLES.  361 

and^  behold,  he  goeth  before  you  in   Galilee;  there  shall  you   nee 
him;  lo,  I  have  told  you.'''' 

It  has  been  the  practice  of  the  blessed  Jesus  ever  since  his 
resurrection,  to  make  similar  appointments  for  his  mourning  dis- 
ciples to  meet  him,  to  see  his  glory,  and  feel  his  love  shed  abroad 
in  their  hearts.  The  ordinances  of  his  house  are  so  many  pla- 
ces where  the  children  of  God,  like  Moses,  obtain  a  sight  of 
their  divine  Lord.  The  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  in 
which  his  death  is  shown  forth,  and  he  is  exhibited  crucified  be- 
fore our  eyes,  is  one  of  his  most  important  appointments. 
There  his  spiritual  children  are  permitted  to  come  into  his  pre- 
sence, to  see  his  face  and  enjoy  sweet  tokens  of  his  love.  And 
it  is  to  this  precious  ordinance  that  we  shall  endeavor  to  ac- 
commodate the  subject.  Then,  1  tell  you,  as  the  angel  did  the 
disciples  of  old,  by  the  authority  of  your  glorious  Lord — behold 
he  is  risen  and  goeth  before  you  next  Sabbath — to  Race  creek 
— there  shall  ye  see  him. 

^'Heis  risen  from  the  dead."  By  this  he  proves  to  all  worlds, 
that  he  has  fulfilled  the  law  of  God,  satisfied  divine  justice, 
and  wrought  a  perfect,  all-sufficient  righteousness,  by  which 
God  can  be  just  and  the  justifier  of  the  repenting  and  believ- 
ing sinner.  His  resurrection  stands  an  unquestionable  proof, 
that  his  people's  redemption  is  complete — that  their  price  has 
been  paid  to  the  uttermost  farthing. 

"jBeAoZd  he  goeth  before  you.'''*  He  has  appointed  the  plan  of 
meeting,  and  he  will  attend;  and  he  invites  all  his  dear  chil- 
dren— those  who  have  entered  the  strait  gate  of  conversion,  and 
beheld  his  glory,  to  meet  him  at  his  table;  yea,  he  enforces  his 
invitation  with  his  dying  command, — '''•This  do  in  remembrance 
of  me.''''  And  for  your  encouragement,  he  tells  you,  ^Hhere  you 
shall  see  him'^ — not  with  your  bodily  eyes — for  he  has  ascended 
far  above  the  visible  heavens,  where  he  is  exalted  to  the  right 
hand  of  the  Father — where  he  is  now  preparing  a  place  for  you 
in  his  Father's  house — where  he  will  soon  receive  you  to  him- 
self, that  where  he  is,  you  may  be  also,  and  behold  his  glory. 
As  mediator  he  stands  before  the  throne  of  God,  with  your  names 
graven  on  both  his  hands;  and  as  intercessor,  he  pleads  your 
case  before  the  Omnipotent.  You  shall  see  him  by  faith  in  his 
word  and  promises — you  shall  see  him  in  all  his  glorious  excel- 
lency and  preciousness. 

In  treating  farther  upon  this  subject,  we  shall; 

I.  Speak  of  the  meeting  between   Christ  and  his  followers. 

II.  Say  something  of  the  qualification  necessary  to  this  meet- 
ing with  Christ. 

I.  Speak  of  the  meeting  between  Christ  and  his  followers. 
And  we  shall  first  notice  what  is  presupposed  in  the  idea  of 
Christ  and  his  people  meeting*     1st.  It  is  implied  that  he  has 


362  THE    MEETING   OP 

fulfilJed  the  law,  and  satisfied  all  the  demands  of  divine  justice 
in  their  room  and  stead;  for  by  nature  they  were  children  of 
wrath  even  as  others,  under  the  curse  and  the  condemning  sen- 
tence of  God's  righteous  law.  2nd.  That  his  all-powerful  arm 
has  rescued  them  from  the  jaws  of  the  roaring  lion  of  hell;  for 
by  nature  they  were  willing  slaves  of  the  Devil — led  captive 
at  his  will,  and  subject  to  his  power.  3rd.  That  he  has  sub- 
dued them  to  himself  by  the  agency  of  his  Spirit;  that  he  has 
translated  them  from  death  to  life — from  darkness  to  light,  and 
from  the  bondage  of  sin  and  Satan,  to  the  glorious  liberty  of  the 
sons  of  God;  that  he  has  changed  their  infernal  tempers  and 
dispositions  to  meekness  and  heavenly  love:  for  by  nature  they 
were  enemies  to  God  by  wicked  works — prone  to  evil  as  the 
sparks  to  fly  upward- — every  imagination  of  their  thoughts  was 
evil,  ''^only  evil  continually.''''  4th.  That  they  have  beheld  the 
glory  of  God  as  it  shines  in  the  face  of  Jesus;  that  their  hearts 
and  affections  have  been  enraptured  and  enamoured  of  the 
beauties  of  Immanuel;  that  they  have  parted  with  all  for  him; 
that  he  is  their  righteousness,  the  strength  of  their  hopes,  and 
their  all. 

The  next  question  is — When  Jesus  meets  with  his  people  at 
his  table,  what  appearance  will  he  make?  What  will  they  dis- 
cover in  him. 

1st.  They  shall  see  him  as  did  the  penitent  thief  on  the 
cross;  they  shall  see  him  as  the  penitent  Col.  Gardiner,  and 
thousands  of  repenting  and  believing  sinners  have  seen  him; 
they  shall  behold  him  exhibited  hanging  on  the  cross,  all  drench- 
ed in  blood  and  tears;  while  the  crimson  streams  of  blood  di- 
vine flow  from  the  wounds  inflicted  by  the  scourges,  nails,  thorns 
and  spear.-— You  will  behold  him  in  the  garden,  sweating — 
^^great  drops  of  blood  falling  down  to  the  ground  f  ye  will  see 
him  at  Pilate's  bar,  insulted  and  scourged:  and,  methinks  you 
will  hear  those  groans  which  awaked  the  dead — the  groans  of 

an  incarnate  God,  which  shocked  the  universe! Methinks  you 

will  see  that  face,  brighter  than  the  light  of  ten  thousand  suns, 
spat  upon,  black  and  mangled,  swelled  with  strokes  and  red 
with  gore,  and  expressive  of  love  and  indescribable  anguish: 
you  will  hear  him  addressing  you  in  such  language  as  this,  O 
sinners!  see  what  I  suffer  for  you — at  how  dear  a  price  I  pur- 
chase for  you  pardon,  salvation  and  eternal  life!  Behold  how 
much  I  love  you.  Now  all  I  ask  in  return,  is  that  you  will  for- 
sake your  murdering  sins,  and  go  with  me  to  my  Father's  house; 
and  there  possess  an  exceeding  great,  '•'•and  eternal  weight  of 
glory,'"  I  ask  it  with  my  last  and  dying  breath- — by  my  wounds 
and  expiring  agonies.  Will  not  this  break  the  proudest  heart? 
Will  not  every  pardoned  rebel,  who  sits  at  the  foot  of  the  cross, 


CHRIST    AND   HIS  DISCIPLBS.  SSf 

and  undef  the  droppings  of  redeeming  love,  be  constrained  to 
cry  in  the  language  of  the  poet — 

Yonder — amazing  sight!  I  see 

The  Incarnate  Son  of  God 
Expiring  on  the  accursed  tree, 

And  weltering  in  his  blood. 
Behold!  a  purple  torrent  run 

Down  from  his  hands  and  head 
The  crimson  tide  puts  out  the  sun — 

His  groans  awake  the  dead! 
The  trembling  earth,  the  darkened  sky, 

Proclifim  the  truth  aloud; 
And  with  the  amazed  Centurion  cry, 

This  is  the  Son  of  God. 
So  great  so  vast  a  sacrifice 

May  well  my  hopes  revive : 
If  God's  own  Son  thus  bleeds  and  dies, 

The  sinner  sure  may  live. 

2nd.  When  you  meet  with  Jesus,  you  shall  see  many  crowns 
upon  his  head;  you  shall  see  him  riding  upon  the  ivhite  horse  of 
the  everlasting  gospel^  clothed^  with  a  vesture  dipped  in  bloody  and 
a  name  written  upon  his  vesture  and  on  his  thigh — King  of  kings, 
AND  Lord  of  lords. — You  shall  see  him  with  millions  of 
crowns — one  for  every  pardoned  and  believing  rebel:  and  every 
genuine  conversion  adds  one  to  their  number.  And  shall  not 
Christ  gain  a  new  crown  in  Henderson  county,  at  Race  creek, 
on  the  fourth  Sabbath  in  July,  1810?  That  would  make  it  in- 
deed a  sweet  and  glorious  day  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ:  it  would 
be  a  day  of  gladness  to  his  heart;  for  then  like  a  travailing 
woman  who  forgets  her  pain  and  anguish,  for  joy  that  a  man  is 
born  into  the  world,  the  compassionate  Jesus  would  forget  Geth- 
semane — his  groans  and  bloody  sweat — and  the  scene  of  dread- 
ful torture  and  blood  through  which  he  passed  on  his  way  to 
Calvary;  for  then  he  would  see  of  the  travail  of  his  soul  and  be 
satisfied. 

It  would  be  a  joyful  day  to  the  people  of  God  upon  earth, 
and  to  the  ministers  of  the  gospel,  who  long  for  the  conversion 
of  poor  guilty  sinners,  as  the  hireling  for  the  evening  shade.  Yes, 
and  it  would  be  a  joyful  day  in  heaven:  the  waiting  angels 
would  ascend  to  Paradise  with  the  glad  tidings,  and  the  seraphic 
and  cherubic  millions,  and  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect, 
would  tune  their  harps  anew  and  sing  the  new  song  in  strains 
of  highest  melody. 

3rd,  You  shall  then  by  the  eye  of  faith,  see  him  in  his  two  na- 
tures, invested  with  all  his  mediatorial  offices,  and  in  all  the  re- 
lations which  he  sustains  to  you  as  a  Saviour.     You  shall  see 

46 


ilii  THE   MBETINO    Of 

him  clad  with  all  the  glories  of  the  Godhead,  with  all  the  at- 
tributes and  perfections  of  the  Deity,  possessed  of  all  the  gra- 
ces of  the  divine  Spirit,  and  of  every  amiable  excellency  of 
which  human  nature  is  capable.  You  shall  see  him  as  your 
Prophet,  Priest  and  King — your  Father,  your  Redeemer,  your 
Shepherd,  and  your  guide — your  strong  hold,  your  hiding  place 
and  sure  defence — your  righteousness,  your  hope,  your  joy — your 
peace,  your  heaven,  and  your  All. 

At  this  appointed  meeting,  if  you  could  obtain  such  a  view 
of  his  while  and  ruddy  fair,  and  lovely  face,  as  Moses  had  from 
the  cleft  rock;  or  as  the  beloved  John  had  when  he  leaned 
upon  his  breast  at  the  first  communion  table;  as  the  disciples, 
going  to  Emmaus,  had  when  he  was  made  known  to  them  in  the 
breaking  of  bread;  as  the  disciples  had  when  he  came  among 
them  and  shewed  them  his  hands  and  his  side; — you  will  de- 
clare him  to  be  the  chief  est  among  ten  thousand  and  altogether 
lovely:  that,  when  compared  with  the  brightness  of  his  glory, 
the  sun  is  but  darkness,  and  angels  and  archangels,  cherub  and 
seraph,  become  small  and  insignificant,  when  compared  with 
his  infinite  glory  and  surpassing  beauty. 

Again.  When  an  amiable  and  respectable  personage  ap- 
points a  time  and  place  for  his  friends  to  meet  him,  with  free  and 
open  countenance,  expressions  of  his  love  for  them,  he  conver- 
ses with  them  upon  interesting  and  importai  t  subjects;  so,  when 
Christ  meets  with  his  dear,  blood-bought  children,  they  have 
sweet  converse — sweet  fellowship,  and  communion  with  him. 
While  sitting  at  his  table,  and  leaning  upon  his  bosom,  he  gives 
them  a  mournful,  joyful  humbling,  an  exalting — a  heart  break- 
ing, and  heart  gladdening  narrative,  of  his  bloody  suffering's — 
his  exquisite  torments  in  the  garden — and  the  ten  thousand  hells 
he  endured  in  one,  on  mount  Calvary; — and  points  to  these  as 
the  springs  of  all  their  heavenly  joy,  and  hopes  of  eternal  bles- 
sedness. 

"For  you,  the  childr  ?n  of  my  love — 

It  was  for  you,  I  died : 
Behold  my  hands,  behold  my  feet, 

And  look  into  my  side! 
These  are  the  wounds  for  you  I  bore, 

The  lokens  of  my  pains,— 
When  I  came  down  to  free  your  souls 

From  misery  and  chains. — 
Justice  unsheathed  its  fiery  sword, 

And  plunged  it  in  my  heart; 
Infinite  pangs  for  you  I  bore, 

And  most  tormenting  smart. 
When  hell,  and  all  its  spiteful  powers, 

Sto«d  dreadful  in  my  way, 


•HRI9T    AND  HIS  MSCIFLES.  3S5 

To  rescue  those  dear  lives  of  yours, 

I  gave  my  own  away. 
But  when  I  bled,  and  groaned,  and  died, 

I  ruined  Satan's  throne : 
High  on  my  cross  I  hung,  and  spied 

The  monster  tumbling  down. 
Now  you  must  triumph  at  my  feast, 

And  taste  my  flesh  and  blood, 
And  live  eternal  ages  blest, 

For  'tis  immortal  food. 

Again,  he  relates  the  glorious  victories  of  his  death,  the  tri- 
umphs of  his  cross;  how  he  crushed  the  power  of  hell,  and 
bruised  the  serpent's  head:  rescued  the  captives  from  the  hands 
of  the  mighty,  and,  by  the  blood  of  his  everlasting  covenant, 
snatched  the  prisoners  from  the  deep  pit  in  which  there  is  no 
water.  This  narrative  fills  their  souls  with  joy  unspeakable  and 
full  of  glory. 

But  when  I  hear  my  Saviour,  God, 
Count  o'er  the  sins,  a  heavy  load. 

He  bore  upon  the  tree. 
Inward  I  blush  with  secret  shame, 
And  weep,  and  love,  and  bless  that  name. 
That  knew  not  grief,  nor  guilt,  his  own — 

But  bore  it  all  for  me. 
Next  he  describes  the  thorns  he  wore, 
And  talks  his  bloody  passion  o'er, 

Till  lam  drown'd  in  tears. 
Yet,  with  a  sympathetic  smart. 
There's  a  strange  joy  beats  round  my  heart — 
The  cursed  tree  has  blessings  in't 

My  sweetest  balm  it  bears. 
I  hear  the  glorious  sufferer  tell 
How  on  his  cross  he  vanquished  hell, 

And  all  the  powers  beneath. 
Transported,  .md  inspired,  my  tongue 
Attempts  his  triumphs  in  a  song. 
How  has  the  serpent  lost  his  sting, 

And  Where's  thy  victory,  death? 
But  when  he  shows  his  hands  and  heart, 
With  these  dear  prints  of  dying  smart, 

He  sets  my  soul  on  fire. 
Not  the  beloved  John  could  rest, 
With  more  delight  upon  that  breast; 
Nor  Thomas  pry  into  his  wounds. 

With  more  intense  desire. 
Kindly  he  opens  to  me  his  ear. 
And  bids  me  pour  my  sorrows  there. 

And  tell  him  all  my  pains. 


S66  TH£    MEETING    OF 

When  Christ  and  his  children  meet,  he  shows  them  the  sta- 
bihtj  of  the  covenant  of  grace;  he  shows  Ihem  the  rich  bles- 
sings, hidden  in  the  promises  of  the  God  oftruth;  he  shows  them 
their  titles  to  an  inheritance  in  the  heavenly  Jerusalem;  he  tells 
them  that  he  is  prepaiing  a  place  for  them  in  the  house  of  his 
Father;  and  that  soon  he  will  send  a  messenger  to  bring  them 
home  to  himself.  And  we  will  add,  that  always  when  Christ 
and  iiis  children  meet,  he  addresses  them  with  the  love  and  ten- 
derness of  a  father.  Wlien  he  speaks  to  them,  it  is  to  impart 
that  peace  which  passcth  all  understanding.  When  he  addres- 
sci  Mary  Magdalene,  he  says,  ^''Woinmi  lohy  wetpest  thou?  This 
is  an  expression  of  kindness.  But  farther  he  says — ^'•Touch  me 
not;  for  I  am  not  yet  ascended  to  mil  Father ;  but  go  to  my  breth- 
ren, and  say  unto  them, I  ascend  unto  my  Father,  and  your  Father; 
and  to  my  God  and  your  God.''''  And  when  he  converses  with 
the  two  disciples  walking  to  Emmaus;  and  opens  to  them  the 
scriptures — he  makes  their  hearts  burn  within  them.  When  he 
comes  to  his  disciples,  while  their  doors  were  shut,  his  salutation 
is,  "Peace  be  unto  you.''''  And  on  another  occasion  he  asks  them, 
^^Whi/  are  ye  troubled?  and  why  do  thoughts  arise  in  your  hearts  ? 
Behold  my  hands  and  my  feet,  that  it  is  I  myself ;  handle  me  and 
see;  for  a  spirit  hath  not  fesh  and  hones,  as  ye  see  me  have.''''  And 
says  John  in  the  Isle  ofPatmos,  "I  saw  seven  golden  candlesticks ; 
and  in  the  midst  of  the  seven  candlesticks,  one  like  unto  the  son  of 
man,  clothed  with  a  garment  down  to  the  foot,  and  girt  about  the 
paps  with  a  golden  girdle.  His  head  and  his  hair  were  white  like 
wool,  as  white  as  snow;  and  his  eyes  were  as  aflame  ofjire;  and 
his  feet  like  luitofine  brass,  as  if  they  burned  in  a  furnace;  and 
his  voice  was  as  the  sound  of  many  waters.  And  he  had  in  his 
right  hand  seven  stars;  and  out  of  his  mouth  went  a  sharp  two- 
edged  sword;  and  his  countenance  was  as  the  sun  shineth  in  his 
strength.  And  when  J  saw  him,  I  fell  at  his  feet  as  dead.  And 
he  laid  his  right  hand  upon  me,  saying  unto  me,  Fear  not,  I  am 
the  first  and  the  last,  I  am  lie  that  liveth  and  was  dead;  and  be- 
hold I  am  alive  forevermore,  Amen;  and  have  the  keys  of  hell  and 
death.'''' 

Again,  when  an  affectionate  father  invites  his  children  to 
meet  him  and  have  an  interview  with  him,  he  makes  a  rich  en- 
tertainment for  them.  He  feasts  them  on  the  dainties  of  his 
house;  so  when  Christ  appoints  to  meet  the  children  of  his  love, 
the  blood  bought  purchase  of  his  soul,  at  his  house  and  at  his 
table;  he  provides  for  them  a  sumptuous  feast,  the  richest  dain- 
ties of  the  heavenly  Paradise;  he  feeds  them  on  provisions, 
more  costly  and  delicious  than  that  of  angels  and  archangels; 
for — 

"Never  did  angels  taste  above 

Redeeming  grace  and  dying  love," 


CHRIST    AND    HIS    DISCIPLES. 


367 


He  spreads  his  table  with  the  '■'•bread  of  life,'''  which  comes 
down  from  heaven — the  hidden  manna,  the  fruit  of  the  tree  of 
life  in  the  midst  of  the  Paradise  of  God — with  the  milk  and 
honey  of  the  land  of  promise.  He  feeds  them  on  the  sweet 
views  of  the  divine  glory  and  loveliness  of  Jesus  Christ — the 
witness  of  a  sealed  pardon — '-Hhe peace  of  God  which  passeth  ail 
understanding — the  consolations  of  the  Holy  Ghost — "/o?/  un- 
speakable and  fall  of  glory''' — a  sense  of  Jehovah's  love  shed 
abroad  in  the  heart — bright  hopes  of  eternal  life  and  immortal 
glory.  Is  not  this  a  feast  of  fat  things?  a  feast  of  wine  on  the 
lees  well  refined? 

When  a  loving  father  collects  his  children  at  his  house  on  a 
particular  occasion,  he  frequently  bestows  on  them  rich  gifts,  and 
presents,  as  tokens  of  his  1<  ve  and  endearing  attachments.  This 
is  always  the  case  v.hen  Christ  and  true  helievers  meet  togeth- 
er. He  bestows  upon  them  the  richest  gifts  which  the  full  store 
house  of  heaven  can  furnish:  the  comforting  influences  of  the 
Holy  Spirit — the  assurances  of  his  love — faith  in  lively  exercise 
— victory  over  sins  particularly  dangerous— -the  spirit  of  pray- 
er— near  access  to  God,  and  sometimes  answers  to  prayer,  in 
the  conversion  and  salvation  of  near  friends  and  dear  relations 
and  in  the  gracious  outpouring  of  his  Spirit  upon  the  church. 

When  Christ  distributes  these  rich  gifts,  he  gives  like  a 
God — often  bestowing  favors  upon  his  enemies.  I  remember 
to  have  heard  of  a  British  king  who  was  also  Elector  of  Han- 
over, and  having  visited  his  German  dominions,  on  a  certain  day 
showed  himself  to  the  gazing  populace;  and  caused  large  sums 
of  money  to  be  scattered  through  the  multitude,  for  the  benefit 
of  the  poor  and  indigent.  If  this  be  a  fact,  it  resembles  the. 
conduct  of  Christ;  for  when  feasting  his  cbildren  at  his  table,on 
the  blessings  of  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  he  often  bestows  par- 
don upon  poor  sinners.  He  often  scatters  abroad  the  treasures 
of  grace  divine,  among  the  unhappy  souls,  who  are  starving 
and  perishing  in  the  highways  and  hedges,  that  leed  to  hell. 

Now,  let  us  notice  some  of  the  properties  of  this  meeting, 
which  we  expect  shortly  to  take  place  between  Christ  and  his 
humble  followers.  1st.  It  will  be  grand  and  m.Jestic,  true  it 
may  appear  to  the  blind,  unconverted,  mean  and  contemptible. — 
To  them  it  will  appear  as  did  Christ  to  the  Jews,  without  form 
or  comeliness,  or  beauty.  But  the  value  and  preciousness  of  a 
thing  is  not  the  less  because  fools,  who  are  ignorant,  should  des- 
pise it.  But  it  will  be  grand  and  majestic;  for  it  is  a  meeting 
with  the  first  character  in  the  universe.-— The  whole  adorable 
Trinity  shall  meet  true  belivers  on  that  day.  The  Eternal 
Father  meets  them  in  Christ;  for  he  is  the  medium  through 
which  pardon  is  communicated  to  penitent  and  believing  souls. 
God,  the  Holy  Ghost,  meets  them  too;  for  he  is  there  with  all 


S68  THE    MKKTING    OF 

his  comforting  and  sanctifying  influences.  It  will  be  a  meeting 
of  all  the  attributes  of  God.  These  will  centre,  unite  and  har- 
monize in  Christ,  and  rejoice  in  the  salvation  of  pardoned  justifi- 
ed rebels.  In  Christ  mercy  and  truth,  righteousness  and  peace 
embrace  each  other.  In  this  meeting  the  praying  soul  meets  a 
prayer  hearing  God,  and  witnesses  the  accomplishment  of  his 
promises. 

2nd.  It  will  be  a  joyful  meeting.  The  joy  felt  at  the  meeting 
of  friends,  is  always  proportioned  to  the  love  which  mutually  sub- 
sists between  them.  Then,  will  it  not  be  a  joyful  time,  when 
the  children  of  God  meet  their  Lord  at  his  table;  for  every  gen- 
uine christian  loves  Jesus  more  than  father  and  mother,  broth- 
er and  sister — more  than  all  things  else  in  heaven  and  earth. 
And  the  love  which  Christ  feels  for  them,  cannot  be  told  by 
tongue  of  men  or  angels.  He  calls  them  the  apple  of  his  eye. 
The  apple  of  the  eye  is  the  pupil,  which  is  the  tenderest  and  most 
valuable  part  of  the  organ,  since  through  it  light  is  received  into 
the  eye,  and  without  it  we  could  discern  no  object.  You  can 
form  some  idea  of  the  strength  of  that  attachment  which  is  felt 
by  a  mother  for  the  infant  of  her  womb;  but  this  bears  no  com- 
parison to  that  which  Jesus  bears  to  the  meanest  of  his  followers. 
^^Can  a  rooman  forget  her  suckling  child,  that  she  should  not  have 
compassion  on  the  son  of  her  womb?  yea,  they  may  forget,  yea  will 
I  not  forget  t/iee.^''  In  positive  terms,  he  tells  you  how  much  he 
loves  the  ^^travail  of  his  souP — his  humble  followers;  but  it  pass- 
es the  comprehension  of  Gabriel. — "J[s  the  Father  hath  loved  me, 
so  have  I  loved  you,''''  Now,  the  united  wisdom  and  eloquence 
of  all  the  angels  in  heaven,  and  all  the  men  upon  earth,  are  in- 
adequate to  describe  the  extent  of  the  love  of  the  Father  for  the 
Son,  yet,  even  so  much,  does  Christ  love  his  worthless  and  un- 
worthy children.  Then,  will  it  not  be  a  joyful  meeting  when 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  meets  his  children  at  his  table? 

3rd.  It  will  be  a  heavenly  meeting.  It  will  bear  some  faint 
resemblance  to  that  glorious  and  happy  meeting  which  will  short- 
ly take  place  between  Christ  and  his  followers,  in  the  Paradise 
of  God — in  the  heavenly  city  of  the  New  Jerusalem.  Christ  is 
there,  and  his  presence  constitutes  heaven.  The  whole  Trini- 
ty will  be  there;  and  I  have  no  doubt  multitudes  of  the  inhabit- 
ants of  heaven  will  be  there.  The  holy  angels  have  ever  inter- 
ested themselves  in  the  redemption  of  lost  sinners. — When  the 
Son  of  God  was  to  be  incarnate;  the  angel  Gabriel  informs  his 
virgin  mother;  an  angel  tells  Joseph  that  his  name  shall  be  call- 
ed Jesus,  ''for  he  shtdl  save  his  people  from  their  sins;''^  when 
born  in  Bethlehem,  a  host  of  angels  descend  to  proclaim  the 
blessed  news  to  a  lost  world;  when  tempted  in  the  wilderness, 
angels  minister  unto  him;  when  agonizing  in  the  garden,  an  an- 
gel comes  to  his  relief;  at  his  resurrection,  an  angel  rolls  away 


CHRIST    INB    HIS    DISCIPLES^  369 

the  stone  from  thedoor  of  the  sepulchre;  the  angel  tells  the  weep- 
ing woman,  that  he  is  risen;  and  an  angel  notifies  the  disci- 
ples to  meet  him  in  Galilee.  Our  Lord  tells  us  that  there 
is  joy  in  heaven^  among  the  angels  of  God  over  one  sinner  that  re- 
penteth.  The  apostle  says,  they  are  '-^ministering  spirits,  sent 
forth  to  minister  for  them  who  shall  be  heirs  of  salvation.'''*  And 
when  our  Lord's  table  is  spread  in  the  wilderness,  and  he  holds 
communion  with  his  saints,  I  think  it  is  rational  and  scriptural  to 
suppose,  that  the  angels  are  hovering  over  the  table  and  the  as- 
sembly, rejoicing  with  Christ  over  the  dear  bought  purchase  ot 
his  blood,  and  waiting  to  bear  joyful  tidings  to  the  heavenly  man- 
sions. And  while  they  are  sitting  at  the  table,  and  communing 
with  their  Lord,  it  is  more  than  probable,  that  some  of  their  chris- 
tian friends  and  brethren,  who  once  sat  with  them  at  the  same 
table,  and  under  the  same  sermons — with  whom  they  spent  many 
happy  days  and  nights  before,  but  now  have  left  the  world  and 
gone  home  to  the  church  triumphant  above; — I  say  it  is  more 
than  probable,  that  some  of  these  will  be  mingling  with  the  an- 
gelic band  around  the  '■''heirs  of  salvation.'''' 

When  we  take  into  view  these  considerations,  will  it  not  be  a 
heavenly  meeting  which  Christ  and  his  followers  will  have  at  the 
approaching  solemnity.  The  inhabitants  of  heaven  will  be 
there;  something  of  the  spirit  and  temper  of  heaven  will  be //iere* 
and  some  of  Christ's  children,  by  faith,  will  have  sweet  views  of 
the  glory  and  blessedness  of  the  heavenly  country. 

4th.  On  the  part  of  God's  people,  it  will  be  a  soul  humbling 
meeting.  There  is  nothing  which  so  effectually  humbles  the 
heart  of  man,  as  an  interview  with  Christ.  The  moment  he 
sees  the  beauties  of  Immanuel — feels  his  love,and  tastes  theioys 
of  pardoned  sin — his  heart  breaks  and  melts  in  streams  of  peni- 
tent sorrow  for  sin.  He  loathes  and  hates  himself,  and  sinks  in- 
to nothing  before  the  eternal  All.  He  is  filled  with  wonder 
that  the  goodness  and  compassion  of  the  infinite  and  incompre- 
hensible God,  the  source  of  all  excellence,  and  the  essence  of  all 
perfection,  who  humbles  himself  to  see  the  things  that  are  done 
in  heaven,  should  even  have  been  extended  to  such  a  filthy  worm 
of  the  dust,  less  than  nothing,  and  vanity.  He  looks  upon  him- 
self as  the  greatest  wonder  of  redeeming  mercy.  The  language 
ofhis  heart  is — 

Why  did  he  thousands  pass 

And  fix  his  love  on  me  ? 
The  deep  and  searchless  reason  is, 

Jehovah's  love  is  free. 

Thus,  Isaiah,  when  he  beheld  the  Lord  and  saw  his  glory 

when  he  saw  him  high  and  lifted  up— his  train  filling  the  temple 
and  the  six  winged  cherubims  crying  one  to  another  savincr' 
"jyb/t/,  holy^  holy^  is  the  Lord  of  hosts;  the  7rhole  earth   is  full  of 


370  THE   MEETING    OF 

his  glory.''''  He  abhors  himself  before  God  and  cries,  "  Wo  is 
me!  because^  I  am  a  man  of  unclean  lips  ^  and  I  dwell  in  the  midst 
of  a  people  of  unclean  lifs;  for  mine  eyes  have  seen  the  king,  the 
Lord  of  hosts,'"'  In  like  manner,  when  Job  is  admitted  into  the 
Divine  presence  and  sees  his  glory,  he  exclaims,  "/Aat'e  heard  of 
thee  by  the  hearing  oj  the  ear;  but  uow  mine  eye  seeth  thee.  Where- 
fore I  abhor  myself  in  dust  and  ashes,''' 

But  how  does  the  prospect  of  such  a  meeting  affect  the  minds 
of  the  genuine  followers  of  Jesus?  What  are  their  views  and  ex- 
ercises, under  the  apprehension  of  so  near  an  approach  to  their 
beloved  Lord?  That  you  may  have  some  idea  of  their  feelings 
and  clearly  understand  the  subject,  I  will  introduce  a  plain  and 
common  simile.  Suppose  a  woman,  whose  husband  to  whom 
she  was  devotedly  attached,  and  regarded  as  the  dearest  half  of 
herself,  was  in  a  foreign  land  transacting  business  in  which  the 
welfare  of  both  during  life  was  intimately  concerned;  and  sup- 
pose he  were  to  despatch  a  servant  with  a  letter  informing  her 
that  he  was  returning  home,  and  requesting  her  to  meet  him  on 
a  certam  day  at  such  a  place — for  there  she  should  see  him; — 
Would  not  her  heart  leap  with  joy?  Would  she  not  read  his 
letter  again  and  again  with  unspeakable  delight  and  anxiety? 
Would  not  every  hour  seem  a  day,  and  every  day  a  year,  until 
the  time  appointed  came?  When  she  would  go  to  meet  him, 
would  she  not  dress  herself  in  her  richest  apparel,  that  she  might 
make  a  graceful  appearance  before  him?  And  when  she  saw 
him,  would  she  not  leap  into  his  arms,  with  every  expression  of 
fond  affection?  Would  she  not  have  a  thousand  things  to  tell 
him?  With  a  mournful  pleasure,  she  would  relate  every  pain, 
every  distress,  and  complaint;  and  make  known  to  him  every 
want;  for  she  knows  that  such  is  the  tenderness  of  his  heart,  that 
he  will  sympathise  with  her  in  distress;  and  such  his  kindness  and 
goodness  that  he  will  supply  every  want. 

This  affords  some  faint  resemblance  to  the  paining  anxiety 
and  incessant  breathings  of  the  soul,  which  longs  to  meet  with 
Jesus.  In  just  such  a  situation  the  Psalmist  says,  '"''As  the  hart 
panteth  after  the  water-brooks^  so  panteth  my  soul  after  thee,  O 
God,  My  soul  thirsteth  for  God,  for  the  living  God.'^  My  flesh 
and  heart  crieth  out  for  the  courtsof  the  Lord;  my  flesh  longeth  for 
thee  in  a  dry  and  parched  land,  where  no  water  is,  that  I  may  see 
thy  power  and  thy  glory  as  I  have  seen  thee  in  the  sanctuary,'''' 

II.  Speak  of  the  qualifications  necessary  to  this  meeting  with 
Christ. 

When  a  kind  father  or  loving  friend  invites  his  children  or 
particular  friends,  to  partake  with  him  a  sumptuous  entertain- 
ment at  his  house,  it  is  necessary  that  they  should  come  dressed 
in  apparel  suited  to  the  occasion;  so  all  Christ's  children  who 
would  meet  him  at  his  table,  must  be  clad  in  the  '•'•wedding  gar- 


CHRIST    AND    HIS    DISCIPLES.  371 

meni"  of  Christ's  law  fulfilling  righteousness,  received  by  faith 
and  imparted  to  the  soul  for  justification. 

This  is  the  first  gr.ind  and  radical  qualification  necessary  to 
entitle  the  sons  and  daughters  of  Adam  to  a  right  to  come  to 
Christ's  table.  The  soul  w'  o  is  clothed  in  this  garment  is  a  wel- 
come guest;  but  he  who  comes  without  it,  eats  and  drinks  dam- 
nation to  himself.  In  the  parable  of  the  marriage  supper,  (Matt. 
22)  we  are  told  that  the  king  came  and  viewed  the  guests,  and 
found  there  a  man  who  had  not  on  a  wedding  garment,  and  says 
to  him,  ^'"Friend,  how  earnest  thou  in  hither,  nothaving  a  wedding 
garment?  And  he  was  speechkss.^^  He  then  commands  him  to 
be  taken  away  and  cast  into  outer  darkness,  where  there  shall 
be  wailing  and  gnashing  of  teeth.  The  wedding  garment  is  the 
righteousness  of  the  incarnate  God,  which  was  wrought  out  by 
Jesus  Christ  in  the  room  and  place  of  believers,  by  his  ictive  and 
passive  obedience;  by  his  holy  life  and  bloody  death.  By  this 
he  fulfilled  the  precepts  of  the  law  in  its  intrinsic  demands,  paid 
its  penalty,  and  satisfied  the  justice  of  God  in  all  its  claims,  for 
all  the  blood  bought  travail  of  his  soul.  This  righteousness  they 
receive  in  the  day  of  their  conversion  to  God.  God,  the  Fath- 
er, by  a  judicial  act  of  the  court  of  heaven,  imputes  it  to  them 
for  justification  in  the  very  moment  they  embrace  Christ  by  a 
living  faith.  Like  a  spotless  robe  it  covers  them  before  the  jus- 
tice of  God.  Therefore,  says  the  church,  "/zci//  greatly  rejoice 
in  the  Lord,  my  soul  shall  be  joyful  in  my  God;  for  he  hath  cloth- 
ed me  with  the  garment  of  salvation,  he  hath  covered  me  with  the 
robe  of  righteousness,  as  a  bridegroom  decketh  himself  irith  orna- 
ments, and  as  a  bride  adorneth  herself  with  jewels.''''  When  cloth- 
ed in  the  righteousness  of  Christ — in  point  of  justification,  God 
sees  no  iniquity  in  Jacob,  nor  perverseness  in  Israel.  It  is  in  this 
dress,  in  this  glorious  white  robe,  that  you  must  appear  at  Christ's 
earthly  table,  next  Sabbath  day.  And  in  this  glorious  white 
robe  you  shall  appear  at  the  upper  table  on  the  top  of  Mount  Zi- 
on,  in  the  fields  of  Paradise  under  the  shadow  of  the  tree  of  life. 
It  is  this  that  covers  all  the  ransomed  millions,  redeemed  out  ol 
all  nations,  and  kindreds,  and  tongues,  and  people  upon  the  earth. 
Hence  it  is  said,  they  are  '"''clothed  in  white  robes;''''  and  St.  John, 
speaking  of  the  Lamb's  wife,  say s,  "  To  her  was  granted,  that 
she  should  be  arrayed  in  fine  linen,  clean  aiid  white;  for  the  fine 
linen  is  the  righteousness  of  saints.''''  And  the  blessed  Redeemer 
saith,  '"'•Thou  hast  a  few  names  inSardis,  which  have  not  defiled 
their  garments;  and  they  shall  imlk  with  me  in  white;  for  they  are 
worthy.  He  that  overcometh,  the  same  shall  be  clothed  in  white 
raiment.'''' 

I  ask  you  now,  have  you  this  wedding  garment?  are  you 
dressed  in  this  glorious  white  robe?  If  you  have  received  it, 
you  feel  yourselves  as  naked  and  destitute  of  a  righteousness,  as 

47 


372  THE  MEExma  or 

a  new  born  infant,  of  covering.  You  have  been  stripped  entire- 
ly naked  before  God  of  every  rag  and  tatter  of  your  own  right- 
eousness— you  have  felt  the  arrows  of  the  Almighty  sticking  fast 
in  your  hearts  and  the  poison  thereof  drinking  up  your  spirits. 
You  have  seen  your  guilty  soul  suspended  over  the  bottomless 
pit  of  a  burning  hell — you  have  felt  the  very  foretastes  of  the 
torments  of  the  damned — all  hopes  of  mercy  almost  gone  and 
scarce  a  peradventure  the  Lord  will  be  merciful^  remaining. 

If  you  have  received  this  blessed  robe,  this  has  been  your  reso- 
lution— I'll  go  to  Jesus;  and  if  I  perish,  it  shall  be  at  his  feet, 
crying  for  pardon;  and  if  I  am  damned  and  lost,  it  shall  be  while 
praying  for  mercy.  And  in  the  most  helpless  and  desperate 
condition,  the  almighty  Jesus  has  come  to  your  relief.  The 
light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus, 
has  broke  in  upon  your  soul.  You  have  been  enraptured  with 
the  glory,  the  beauty,  and  excellency  of  his  person  and  offices; 
you  have  seen  all  the  attributes  centering  and  shining  in  their 
meridian  splendor  in  the  face  of  a  lovely  Jesus;  you  have  seen 
the  divine  law  magnified  and  made  honorable  by  his  bloody  suf- 
ferings and  dying  agonies,  and  the  flowing  sword  of  Justice 
cooled  in  his  heart's  blood;  and  you  felt  the  burden  of  your  guilt 
swept  away  by  the  red  tide  of  the  Redeemer's  blood;  you  have 
seen  such  preciousness  and  all  sufficiency  in  him,  that  if  you  had 
ten  thousand  souls,  you  could  have  trusted  him  with  all. 

2nd.  Another  qualification  necessary  for  meeting  with  Christ — 
is  t.'ie  comfortable  and  spiritual  evidences  of  a  life  of  sanctijicaiion, 
A  progressive  life  of  sanctification  is  the  sure  and  unquestiona- 
ble evidence  of  regeneration.  Regeneration  and  sanctification 
are  as  inseparably  connected  as  the  sun  and  light;  as  the  living 
fountain,  and  the  stream  which  flows  from  it,  as  life  and  breath. 
Sanctification  of  the  life  of  holiness,  is  the  grand  characteristic 
of  all  genuine  followers  of  Christ.  Holiness  is  the  great  object 
and  end  of  God  in  the  election  and  predestination  to  eternal  glo- 
ry.— Saith  the  apostle,  '''•He  hath  chosen  us  in  him  before  the  foun- 
dation of  the  world,  that  we  should  be  holy  and  without  blame  be- 
fore him  in  love.''''  It  is  the  object  also  of  eflectual  calling:  "jPor 
God  hath  not  called  us  unto  nncleanness,  but  unto  holiness,^''  And 
indeed,  the  great  end  of  Christ's  mission  into  the  world — of  his 
incarnation,  death,  resurrection  and  ascension,  was  to  deliver 
his  people  from  sin — to  make  them  holy  here,  that  they  might 
be  prepared  for  perfect  holiness  in  the  heavenly  state.  '■^Thou 
shaltcall  his  name  Jesus;  for  he  shall  save  his  people  from  their 
sins.''''  And  the  great  design  of  the  cutting  oft'  of  Mesiah,  was 
^Ho  finish  the  transgression,  and  to  make  reconcil'iation  for  iniquity, 
and  to  bring  in  everlasting  rightconsness.''''  John  the  Baptist  styles 
him,  '•Hhe  Lamb  of  God  which  takcth  auay  the  sin  of  the  world;'''' 
and  Peter  says  he  is  exalted  ''^a  prince  and  a  Saviour  for  to  give 


CHKIST    AND    HIS    DISCIPLES.  373 

repentance  to  Israel,  and  forgiveness  of  ^m*;"  and  says   John, 
^'TV/e  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  his  Son  cleanseth  us  from  all  sin,'''' 

The  evidences  of  sanctification  are — 

1st.  A  universal  obedience  to  all  the  commands  of  God.  The 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  lays  this  down  as  the  prime  criterion  by  which 
his  followers  are  known  and  distinguished  from  the  world,  "7/" 
yoti  love  me,  keep  my  commandments.''''  "Fe  are  my  friends  if  ye 
do  whatsoever  I  command  you,''''  '•^He  that  hath  my  commandments, 
and  keepeth  them,  he  it  is  that  loveth  me;  and  he  that  loveth  me  shall 
beloved  of  my  Father,  and  I  will  love  him,  and  will  manifest  my- 
sdf  to  hinu''''  ''''If  a  man  love  me,  he  will  keep  my  words;  and  my 
Father  will  love  him,  and  we  will  come  unto  him,  and  make  our 
abodt  with  him. 

2nd.  Another  evidence  of  sanctfication  in  all  the  followers  of 
Christ  is,  they  bear  his  image.  Saith  Paul,  ^'And  have  put  on 
the  new  man,  which  is  renewed  in  knowledge  after  the  image  of  him 
that  created  him.''''  They  have  the  spirit,  temper  and  disposition 
of  Christ.  ^^Ifany  man  have  not  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  none 
of  his.''''  The  same  mind  is  in  them  that  was  in  Christ — they 
are  made  partakers  of  the  divine  nature — they  bring  forth  the 
fruits  of  their  hearts  and  lives;  which  is,  ''^ Love,  joy,  peace,  long 
suffering,  gentleness,  goodness,  faith,  meekness,  temperance,''''  and 
therefore  they  ^''add  to  their  faith  virtue ;  and  to  virtue,  knowledge}' 
and  to  k?iowledgK,  temperance,''^  <^c. 

3d.  A  third  evidence  of  sanctification,  is  mortification  or  self 
denial;  crucifying  every  sinful  appetite,  dis[osition,  and  propen- 
sity; cutting  ofi"  right  hand,  and  plucking  out  right  eye,  sins; 
and  bearing  the  cross  for  Christ's  sake:  "a«a(  they  that  are  Christ's' 
have  cruci/iti  thefesh  with  the  affections  and  lusts.''"' 

3d.  Another  qualification  necessary  for  those  who  would  meet 
with  Jesus,  is  much  spiritual  prayer  \  vehement  wrestling  with 
God,  asking  in  the  name  of  Jesus,  pleading  with  the  Lord,  and 
holding  the  God  of  truth  to  his  word  and  promises;  and  this  even 
to  a  degree  ofhol}^  violence.  This  is  an  employment,  pleasing 
to  Christ;  he  loves  to  see  it  among  his  spiritual  childr-en,  "O  my 
dove,  thou  art  in  the  clifts  of  the  rock,  in  the  secret  places  of  the  stairs, -^ 
let  me  see  tJiy  cauntenance;  let  me  hear  thy^  voice;  for  sweet  is  thy 
voice,  and  thy  countenance  is  comely.''''  To  encourage  his  humble 
followers  to  be  vehement  in  his  pleasant  exercise,  he  has  given 
them  the  most  gracious  promises,  and  has  pledged  the  veracity 
of  a  God  for  their  fulfillment. — ''•^And  whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  in 
my  name,  that  will  I  do,  that  the  Father  may  he  glorified  in  theSon.''^ 
^^Iftwo  of  you  shall  agree,  on  earth,  as  touching  any  thing  that  they 
shall  ask,  it  shall  be  done  for  them  of  my  Father  which  is  in  Hea- 
ven."  ^''Ask  me  of  things  to  come,  concerning  my  sons,  and  concern- 
ing the  work  of  my  hands,  command  ye  we."  ^^Ask  and  ye  shallre- 
ceive,  thai  your  jay  may  be  fulV* 


374  THS    KKKTING    Or 

My  christian  friends,  who  intend  next  Sabbath  to  own  Christ 
publicly  before  the  world,  have  you  not  for  weeks  and  months 
past,  been  wrestling  with  God  for  the  church  of  Christ — for  the 
outpouring  of  the  Spirit — for  the  conversion  of  your  Christless 
children,  friends,  and  neighbors — and  are  you  not  waiting  with 
longing,  anxiety,  for  the  approaching  solemnity,  ardently  desir- 
ing, that  when  Christ  comes  to  meet  his  people,  he  will  gracious- 
ly grant  you  the  answer  to  your  prayers?     Well,  let  me  tell  you, 
if  you  have  prayed  in  faith,  there  is  not  one  petition  which  you 
have  asked  in  the  name  of  Jesus,  which  shall  be  lost;  for  we  are 
told  that  there  are  '''•golden  vials''''  stored  up  in  heaven  "/ui/  of 
odours,  which  are  the  prayer's  of  saints.^''     Can  we  suppose   that 
Christ  has  a. golden  vial  filled  with  the  faithful  prayers  i'rom  Hen- 
derson county?     If  this  is  so,  doubtless  he  will  bring  them  with 
him  next  Sabbath,  and  may  be,  he  will  give  gracious  answers  of 
peace.     Who  can  tell  but  his  arm  of  power  may  awake  and  put 
on  strength,  as  in  ancient  times?     Then,  should  we  see  great 
things, indeed;  we  would  see  the  wilderness  and  solitary  place 
made  glad,  and  the  desert  rejoicing  and  blossoming  as  the  rose; 
the  dry  parched  land  becoming  a  pool,  and  the  thirsty  land  springs 
of  water.     Then,  the  blind  would  receive  their  sight — the  lame 
would  walk — the  lepers  would  be  cleansed — and  the  dead  would 
be  raised  to  life. 

4th.  Another  qualification,  necessary  for  meeting  with  Christ, 
is  a  heart  hungering,  thirsting,  panting,  fainting  and  almost  dying 
for  his  presence.  It  is  those  who  come  in  this  way  to  the  wells 
of  salvation  with  empty  pitchers,  crying,  give  me  Christ  or  I  die ; 
who,  like  David  are  panting  for  God  as  the  hunted  heart  for  the 
cooling  water  brooks;  who  are  thirsting  and  fainting,  as  in  a 
dry  and  parched  land  where  there  is  no  water,  to  see  his  power 
and  glory.  These  will  be  feasted  at  Christ's  table  on  the  hidden 
manna.  The  promises  of  God  are  pledged  for  it. — ^^ Blessed  are 
they  which  hunger  and  thirst  after  righteousness ;  for  they  shall  be 
Jilled*^^  ''^When  the  poor  and  needy  seek  water  ^  and  there  is  none, 
and  their  tongue  faileth  for  thirst,  I,  the  Lord  will  hear  them;  /, 
the  God  of  Israel  will  not  forsake  them,  I  zoill  open  rivers  in  high 
places,  and  fountains  in  the  midst  of  the  valleys;  I  will  make  the 
wilderness  a  pool  of  water,  and  the  dry  land  springs  of  water.'''' 

5th.  A  fifth  qualification  is  a  heart  humbled  at  the  foot  of  the 
cross;  a  heart  humbled,  broken  and  bleeding  for  sin,  under  a 
faith's  view  of  the  glory  of  God  in  Christ.  This'is  a  sweet  quali- 
fication for  the  table  of  the  Lord.  A  broken,  bleeding,  mangled 
Christ,  and  a  broken  bleeding  heart,  make  a  blissful  meeting  at  a' 
communion  table.  He  who  comes  with  a  bleeding  heart,  to  a 
bleeding  Christ,  shall  receive  the  blessing.  Saith  the  Psalmist, 
*T/ie  sacrifices  of  God  are  a  broken  spirit;  a  bro.'xn  and  a  contrite 
hearty  O  God,  thou  wilt  not  despise.^''     "  Thus  saith  the  high  and  lof- 


CHRIST    AND    HIS    DISCIPLES.  375 

ty  One  that  inhabiteth  eternity^  whose  name  is  Holy;  I  dwell  in  the 
high  and  holy  place,  with  him  also  that  is  of  a  contrite  and  humble 
spirit,  to  revive  the  spirit  of  the  humble,  and  to  revive  the  heart  oftht 
contrite  ones.'''' 

6th.  Much  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  is  another  and  indispensa- 
ble qualification  for  meeting  with  Christ:  much  of  the  loving,  gra- 
cious and  forgiving  spirit,  and  temper  which  was  in  Jesus. 

When  Christ  meets  with  his  children,  he  cannot  be  hid — strange 
things  are  to  be  seen  when  he  comes  into  a  congregation,  and 
meets  his  people  in  the  administration  of  his  supper,  or  in  any 
of  the  ordinances  of  his  house.  The  breath  of  the  Lord  breathes 
the  four  winds  of  heaven  upon  the  valley  of  dry  bones. — There 
is  a  noise  and  a  shaking — and  the  bones  begin  to  come  together — 
bone  to  his  fellow  bone.  While  the  people  of  God  are  refresh- 
ed with  the  new  wine  of  Canaan  and  are  filled  with  joy  un- 
speakable and  full  of  glory,  the  poor  unconverted  feel  the  light  of 
the  Divine  Spirit  breaking  in  upon  their  minds;  they  see  them- 
selves guilty,  lost,  condemned  sinners  under  the  frown  and  curse 
of  an  angry  God,  suspended  over  the  eternal,  bottomless,  burn- 
ing hell.  Hence  they  are  dreadfully  alarmed  at  their  situation; 
and  begin  to  cry  for  mercy,  and  ask  what  they  shall  do  to  be 
saved.  The  gazing  world  are  struck  with  astonishment — all 
appears  strange  and  unaccountable  to  them:  they  term  it  mad- 
ness, foolishness,  distraction,  delusion  hypocrisy,  and  I  know 
not  what.  Here  the  people  of  God  need  much  of  the  Spirit  of 
Christ.  It  becomes  them  to  repulse  all  the  anger,  the  opposi- 
tion and  hard  speaking  of  the  unconverted,  with  the  all  conquer- 
ing power  of  the  love  ol  Jesus.  They  should  not  get  angry,  nor 
even  feel  a  hard  spirit  towards  them.  If  the  poor  things  laugh, 
and  scoff  and  jest,  at  the  work  of  God — if  they  get  mad  and 
treat  it  with  bitterness  and  enmity — it  is  because  they  are  blind 
and  do  not  understand  it.  Therefore,  they  know  not  what  they 
do.  The  apostle  says  if  the  Jews  had  known,  they  would  not 
have  crucified  the  Lord  of  glory;  and  if  the  poor  unconverted 
knew  that  it  was  the  work  of  God  which  they  are  opposing  and 
persecuting,  they  would  not  do  it  for  their  souls.  Then,  instead 
of  feeling  resentment,  the  followers  of  Jesus  should  pity  and 
pray  for  them,  and  weep  over  them,  and  ever  fed  towards  them, 
the  spirit  of  their  dying  Lord  to  his  murderers,  when  they  were 
sporting  with  his  agonies,  and  mocking  at  his  dying  groans; — 
^'•Fatlier, forgive  them,  for  they  know  not  what  they  do,'''' 


SERMON    XXXIV. 


CHRIST  W^ONDERFUIi  IN  I2IS  PEKSOIV,  OFriCES  AlVD  WORKS. 


^^His  name  shall  be  called  wonderful »''''     Isaiah  ix,  6. 


There  is  no  name  in  heaven  or  earth,  which  presents  a  theme 
so  glorious  and  so  lovely,  as  that  of  Jesus.  There  is  none  which 
excites  in  the  mind  reflections  so  pleasing,  so  delightful  and  as- 
tonishing. Says  Solomon — Hhy  name  is  an  ointment  poured 
forth:' 

When  Saint  Augustine  had  read  one  of  the  most  learned  trea- 
tises of  the  heathen  philosophers,  he  observed  that  one  thing 
rendered  it  tasteless  and  insipid,  viz.  "T/(e  name  of  Jesus  had 
nowhere  been  mentioned.''''  All  the  n  mies-  and  divine  characters 
by  which  he  is  made  known  in  the  scriptures  of  eternal  truth, 
express  to  lost  sinners,  the  very  blessedness  of  heaven  and  the 
essence  of  eternal  life — complete  salvation  from  sin  and  hell:  in 
a  word,  the  highest  happiness  which  an  infinite  God  can  bestow 
on  finite  creatures  can  receive,  or  possibly  enjoy  through  the 
ceaseless  ages  of  eternity.  What  name  can  sound  so  sweet  and 
precious  in  the  ears  of  a  poor  awakened  and  despairing  sinner, 
as  Immanuel — God  with  us,  in  our  nature?  What  name  so  lovely 
and  endearing  as  Jesus — a  Saviour  from  sin  and  all  its  dreadful 
consequences?  or  Christ  the  anointed  of  God — one  chosen,  or- 
dained and  set  apart  by  the  unerring  wisdom  of  a  Three-one- 
God,  to  redeem  sinners  from  guilt  and  hell.  View  him  as  Jeho- 
vah, possessing  the  nature  and  attributes  of  the  Godhead — as  I 
AM  that  I  AM,  clothed  with  all  the  incommunicable  perfections 
of  the  Deity — as  Alpha  and  Omega — the  beginning  and  the  end- 
ing— existing  from  eternity  to  eternity,  and  without  beginning 
of  days  or  ending  of  life.  View  him  as  the  promised  Messiah, 
assuming  our  nature,  veiling  his  divinity  in  flesh,  fulfilling  the 
law,  satisfying  divine  justice  and  dying  in  the  room  and  place 
of  a  lost  world — rising  from  the  dead — ascending  far  above  the 


CHRIST    WONDERFUL    IN    HIS    PERSON,    &C,  377 

visible  heavens — filling  the  mediatorial  throne  at  the  right  hand 
of  God — and  appearing  in  his  two  natures  before  the  ete.nal 
throne,  as  our  friend  and  intercessor. 

Our  text  takes  all  the  infinite  glories  and  beauties  of  his  per- 
son in  one  collective  view,  "i/w  name  shall  he  called  wonder- 
fuiy  Here  his  nature,  his  attributes,  his  incarnation,  his  humi- 
liation, his  love,  his  sufferings,  his  atoning  sacrifice  to  the  law 
and  justice  of  God — with  all  the  blessed  effects  of  his  obedience 
and  death,  are  held  up  to  the  view  of  all  adoring  worlds.  The 
astonished  angels  stoop  down,  with  eager  desires  to  look  into 
these  shoreless  and  unfathomable  wonders — wonders  which  shall 
be  new,  wliile  eternity  runs  its  perpetual  round.  Then  with 
great  propriety  his  "/jawe  shall  be  called  wonderful?^  The  pro- 
phet Isaiah,  by  divine  inspiration,  places  the  Lord  Jesus  before 
us  in  his  two  W'onderful  natures,  as  the  object  of  praise  gratitude 
and  wonder.  "Z7«<o  us  a  child  is  born^  unto  us  a  son  is  given; 
and  the  government  shall  be  upon  his  shouldei';  and  his  name 
shall  be  called  Wonderful,  Counsellors  the  Mighty  God,  the  ever- 
lasting Father ,  the  Prince  of  Peace, ^'' 

The  particular  name  or  character  which  is  the  subject  for  our 
consideration,  is,  "/7«  name  shall  be  called  Wonderful,'''' 

In  attending  to  the  subject,  we  shall  pursue  the  following 
method — 

I.  Shew  in  what  respect  his  name  shall  be  called  Wonderful, 
and  illustrate  the  propriety  of  the  epithet. 

II.  Ai  ention  some  of  the  sweet  seasons,  when  Christ  appears 
wonderful  to  the  believing  sinner. 

I.  Shew  in  what  respect  he  may  be  called  Wonderiul. 

1st.  He  is  wonderful  when  considered  in  his  person  and  his 
two  natures,  as  Immanuel — God  with  us.  View  him  as  God- 
man,  or  God  manifested  in  the  flesh,  and  you  w^ill  discover  won- 
ders that  strike  the  adoring  millions  round  the  throne  of  God, 
with  ostonishment.  You  will  behold  Omnipotence,  and  mortal 
weakness  united  in  one;  the  ancient  of  days  who  existed  from 
all  eternity,  becoming  a  helpless  infant;  the  eternal  First  Cause 
of  all  things,  born  of  a  woman,  nursed  and  suckled  by  a  crea- 
ture which  he  had  made  and  preserved  in  existence;  the  High 
and  Lofty  One  that  inhabiteth  eternity,  and  humbles  himself  to 
behold  the  things  that  are  done  in  heaven,  appearing  in  the  form 
of  a  servant,  accounted  a  worm  and  no  man,  despised  and  re- 
jected by  the  world.  You  will  see  the  God  of  glory,  the  source 
of  all  joy  and  happiness,  become  a  man  of  sorrows  and  acquain- 
ted with  grief;  the  Eternal  Jehovah,  whose  power  formed  all 
worlds  and  upholds  them  in  being — who  has  the  most  unques- 
tionable right  to  govern  the  vast  empire  of  the  universe, — a  man 
so  poor  and  destitute  that  he  complains  that  he  hath  not  where 
to  lay  his  head,  while  the  foxes  have  holes  and  the  birds  of  the 


378  CHRIST    WONDERFUL    IN    HIS 

air  have  nests — so  poor  that  he  had  not  a  farthing  to  pay  his  tri- 
bute, until  he  wrought  a  miracle  to  procure  it; — the  King  of 
kings  and  Lord  of  lords,  the  sovereign  Lawgiver  of  the  Universe, 
and  yet  made  under  the  law:  he,  who  obeyed  every  requisition 
of  the  law,  enduring  its  curse,  and  sutiering  its  whole  penalty: 
the  great  eternal,  the  fountain  of  life,  and  well-spring  of  exis- 
tence, sinking  in  the  agonies  of  death — and  falling  a  pallid  and 
lifeless  corpse! 

The  sacred  scriptures  tell  us,  that  he  is  the  root  and  offspring 
of  David — his  son  and  his  Lord;  that  he  was  made  of  the  seed 
of  Abraham  according  to  the  flesh — and  yet  existing  before 
Abraham  was.  The  prophet  Isaiah  who  beheld  his  glory  and 
rejoiced  to  see  his  day,  declares,  that  ht  is  a  child  born^  a  son 
given;  but  yet  the  mighty  God^  the  everlasting  Father,  and  the 
Prince  of  Peace,  Zechariah  speaks  of  him  as  a  man;  yet  as 
one  that  is  God's  fellow.  Says  the  evangelist  John,  "/n  the  be- 
ginning was  the  word,  and  the  word  ivas  with  God,  and  the  word 
was  God.  The  same  was  in  the  beginning  with  God.  All  things 
were  made  by  him;  and  ivithout  him  was  not  anything  jnadethat 
was  made.''''  Yet  he  declares,  "TAe  imrd  was  made  flesh  and 
dwelt  amongst  us,  {and  ire  htheld  his  glory,  the  glory  as  of  the  only 
begotten  of  the  Father^  full  of  grace  and  truth.'''  Speaking  of 
Jesus  Christ,  Paul  says,  ''''Who,  being  in  the  form  of  God,  thought 
it  not  robbery  to  be  equal  until  God.'''  '"''But  made  himself  of  no 
reputation,  and  took  upon  him  the  form  of  a  servant,  and  was  made 
in  the  likeness  of  man ;  and  being  found  in  fashion  as  a  man,  he 
humbled  hiniself,  and  became  obedient  unto  death,  even  the  death  of 
the  cross.''' 

There  is  no  doctrine  in  the  scriptures  more  clearly  taught,  or 
that  is  more  evident  and  incontesiible,  than  the  Godhead  or 
Divinity  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  The  names  of  God,  which 
express  his  self-existence  and  independence,  which  represent 
him  as  the  Eternal  First  Cause  of  all  things,  are  directly  applied 
to  Jesus  Christ.  The  angel  that  appeared  to  Moses  in  the  burn- 
ing bush,  was  certainly  none  else  than  Jesus  Christ,  the  angel 
of  the  covenant — none  other  than  the  Son  of  God;  for  he  de- 
clares that  he  is  the  God  of  Abraham,  the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the 
God  of  Jacob;  and  calls  himself  the  I  AM  that  I  AM,  which  is 
the  incommunicable  name  of  God,  and  cannot  be  applied  to  any 
created  being.  Jehovah  is  one  of  the  incommunicable  names 
of  the  Deity,  and  it  is  given  to  Jesus  Christ  in  divers  passages 
of  the  Old  Testament, 

We  are  informed  by  a  learned  writer,  that  the  first  syllable 
in  the  name  Jehovah,  signifies  future  time,  the  second,  time  pre- 
sent, and  the  third,  time  past.  If  this  be  correct,  the  divine  cha- 
racter ascribed  to  Christ  in  the  book  of  the  Revelation,  amounts 
to  the  same  as  Jehovah,  or  I  AM;  and  this  proves  him  to  be 


PERSON,   GFFfCES   AND    W»RKS..  379 

truly  and  essentially  God,  even  Deity  itself.  Sach  for  instance 
as  ''^ Alpha  and  Omega''' — the  first  and  the  last,  ''Hhe  beginning  and 
the  ending^''  which  is,  and  which  was,  and  which  is  to  come,  the 
Almighty.^''  The  prophet  says,  "/  saw,  also,  the  Lord  sitting 
upon  a  throne,  high  and  lifted  up,  and  his  train  Jilled  the  temple;'''' 
and  the  six  winged  seraphims  crying  one  to  another,  saying, 
''^Holy,  holy,  holy  is  the  Lord  of  hosts;  the  whole  earth  is  full  of 
his  glory.''''  And  in  the  revelation  of  John,  this  is  applied  to  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  The  same  evangelist  says,  the  ^''Word  was 
God.''''  Thomas  calls  him  "my  Lord  and  my  God;''''  Paul  styles 
him  God  over  all,  and  blessed  forever,  and  terms  his  blood  that 
was  shed  for  the  remission  of  sins,  the  blood  of  God;  and  the 
Spirit  represents  the  eternal  Father  calling  him  God.  '•'•Thy 
throne,  O  God,  is  forever  and  ever;  a  sceptre  of  righteousness  is 
the  sceptre  of  thy  kingdom.^  The  works  of  creation  and  provi- 
dence, the  bringing  innumerable  worlds  and  systems  of  worlds 
out  of  nothing,  and  supporting  them  from  age  to  age  in  the 
most  perfect  harmony,  are  the  peculiar  properties  of  Deity; 
and  they  are  also  ascribed  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. — "Jl/Z 
things  were  made  by  him;  and  without  him  was  not  any  thing 
made,  that  was  made.''''  By  him  were  all  things  created,  that  are 
in  heaven,  and  are  in  earth,  visible  and  invisible,  ivhether  they  be 
thrones  or  dominions,  or  principalities,  or  powers;  all  things  were 
created  by  him  and  for  him.''"' — ^'•By  him  all  things  consist.'''' — 
Omnipotence,  Omniscience,  and  Omnipresence,  are  attributed 
to  Christ;  the  same  worship  that  is  peculiar  to  God  as  its  ob- 
ject, is  paid  to  him.  The  ordinance  of  baptism,  and  the  apos- 
tolical benediction,  are  performed  in  his  name  equally  with  the 
Father  and  the  Holy  Ghost.  Yet  says  the  apostle,  '•'•Great  is 
the  mystery  of  Godliness;  God  was  manifest  in  the  Jlesh,  justified 
in  the  spirit,  seen  of  angels,  preached  unto  the  Gentiles,  believed 
on  in  the  world,  received  up  into  glory.'''' 

The  divine  and  human  nature  though  infinitely  distinct,  were 
so  strangely  and  mystically  united  in  him,  as  to  form  but  one 
individual  person;  so  that  whatsoever  is  predicated  of  either  of 
these  natures,  is  also  predicated  of  the  person  possessing  both; 
hence,  when  here  upon  earth,  in  the  days  of  his  flesh,  he  is 
styled  the  son  of  man  who  is  in  heaven,  and  his  blood  which  was 
shed  for  the  remission  of  sins  is  called  the  blood  of  God. 

"What,  though  the  waters  struck  with  dread, 
Rise  up  and  form  a  pyramid — 
Though  floods  should  gush  from  rocks  or  stones, 
Or  living  souls  from  wither'd  bones : 
To  hear  of  an  incarnate  God, 
Is  yet  more  wonderful  and  odd; 
Or  to  behold  how  God,  most  high, 
Could  in  our  nature  bleed  and  di«. 
48 


380  UHRIST    WONDERFOL  IN    ffijk 

What,  though  the  bright  angelic  forms, 
Degraded  were  to  crawling  worms— 
These  creatures  were  but  creatures  still, 
Transformed  at  their  Creator's  will. — 
Though  creatures  change  a  thousand  ways, 
It  cannot  such  amazement  raise, 
Nor  such  a  scene  as  this  display : 
The  Eternal  Word,  a  piece  of  ciay — 
God-man,  a  strange  contexture  fix'd ; 
Nor  yet  confus'd,  nor  yet  commix'd  ; 
Yet  still  a  mystery  grand  and  fresh— 
The  Spirit  intinite  made  flesh." 

2nd.  He  was  wonderful  in  his  incarnation,  humiliation,  his 
sulierings  and  death. 

The  circumstances  of  his  birth,  were  contemptible  and  abas- 
ing beyond  conception,  and  at  the  same  time  the  most  grand 
and  majestic,  that  ever  attended  the  birth  of  any  of  the  sons  of 
men.  He  is  not  born  in  a  great  Metropolis  renowned  for  wis- 
dom, wealth,  and  grandeur,  but  in  the  little  village,  Bethlehem. 
He  is  not  born  of  a  royal  princess,  clothed  in  imperial  pomp  and 
splendor,  with  thousands  of  vassals  bowing  at  his  feet;  but  of  a 
poor  woman  in  indigent  circumstances.  It  is  true,  she  was  of 
the  family  of  David,  of  the  blood  royal  of  the  Jewish  nation; 
but  at  this  time  the  sceptre  had  departed  from  Judah,  David's 
crown  was  levelled  with  the  dust,  and  his  family  sunk  into  con- 
tempt and  obscurity.  He  is  not  born  in  a  magnificent  palace, 
attended  by  numerous  servants;  but  in  a  stable  surrounded  by 
lowing  oxen,  and  with  nothing  but  a  manger  for  a  cradle.  He 
is  not  clad  in  purple  and  scarlet,  and  fine  linen,  but  instead  of 
these,  he  is  wrapped  in  swaddling  bands.  O!  what  humiliation! 
What  degrading  circumstances! — But  at  the  same  time,  never 
did  the  most  dignified  character  of  Adanrs  race  come  into  the 
world,  attended  with  such  august  grandeur  and  majesty.  It  is 
true,  his  birth  is  not  proclaimed  by  the  voice  of  a  herald,  in  obe- 
dience to  the  mandate  of  an  imperial  monarch;  but  an  army  of 
bright  shining  seraphs,  leave  their  celestial  abodes — they  come, 
flying  from  the  highest  heavens  to  announce  the  glorious  event. 
They  celebrate  it  with  loud  hallelujahs  in  the  air — they  proclaim 
it  in  the  sweetest  music  of  heaven. — Glory  to  God  in  the  highest^ 
and  on  earth  peace^  good  will  towards  men.  They  tell  the  shep- 
herds, ''''Behold^''  we  '''•bring  you  glad  tidings  of  great  Joy,  which 
shall  be  to  all  people;  for  inito  you  is  horn  this  day  in  the  city  of 
David,  a  Saviour,  which  is  Christ  the  Lord.''' 

Though  liis  lodging  is  poor  and  contemptible,  a  glorious  star 
leaves  its  orbit  and  bends  its  course  to  Bethlehem,  to  lead  the 
wise  men  of  the  East  as  worshippers  at  his  feet.  "V'iew  his 
whole  life,  and  a  scene  of  wonder  marks  every  period  from  his 


PEHSON,   OS^ICES)    A.NXI    WdRKS.  881 

cradle  to  the  grave.  Poverty,  reproach  and  contempt — cruel 
slanders  and  bitter  persecutions — attend  him  through  all  his 
life.  We  <:re  mfbrmed,  that  he  was  a  man  of  sorrows  and  ac- 
quainted with  grief;  he  was  despised  and  rejected  of  men;  but 
yet  iie  was  the  fountain  of  comfort  and  real  happiness.  Where- 
ever  he  went,  he  diffused  joy  and  consolation.  He  makes  the 
dumb  to  sing  his  praises — the  lame  to  leap  for  joy — the  deaf  to 
hear  his  wondrous  doctrine — and  the  blind  to  see  his  glory. — 
Though  he  appeared  in  the  form  of  a  sei*vant,  destitute  of  the 
comforts  of  life:  yet  under  such  disguise,  never  did  there  appear 
on  earth,  a  prince  attended  with  pomp  and  majesty  so  grand 
and  glorions.  Health  and  sickness — life  and  death — were  un- 
der his  control.  The  winds,  the  storms  and  the  raging  billows 
of  the  sea,  which  no  earthly  power  could  command,  obeyed 
him:  and  death  and  the  grave  durst  not  refuse  their  prey  when 
he  demanded  it.  \ie  did  not  walk  upon  tapestry  and  cerpets  of 
of  gold,  like  many  of  the  kings  of  the  earth;  but  more  grand  and 
Godlike,  he  walked  upon  the  sea,  and  the  obedient  waves  sup- 
ported their  masters  feet.  Indeed,  all  creation,  except  sinful 
man,  acknowledged  him  to  be  their  Creator.       ^ 

He  had  no  treasures  of  gold,  but  when  in  want  of  money, 
the  sea  sent  it  to  him  in  the  mouth  of  a  fish.  He  had  no  bams 
nor  fields  of  corn ;  but  w  hen  he  made  a  feast,  five  loaves  and  two 
fishes,  were  more  than  sufficient  for  thousands.  Behold  the  cir- 
cumstances of  his  sufi'erings  and  bloody  death,  and  wonders  are 
unfolded  which  afford  a  theme  which  shall  be  new  throughout 
eternity:  wonders  which  will  forever  excite  the  astonishment 
of  adoring  millions  around  the  throne  of  God.  See  him,  who 
measures  the  ocean  in  the  hollow  of  his  hand,  and  comprehend- 
eth  the  dust  of  the  earth  in  a  measure — who  weighs  the  moun- 
tains in  scales,  and  thg  hills  in  balances,  and  takes  up  the  isles 
as  a  very  little  thing, — seized  by  a  bloody  band  of  soldiers, 
worms  of  the  dust,  who  received  their  existence  from  him,  and 
were  upheld  in  being  by  his  Almighty  power. — See  him  bound 
fast  like  a  thief  and  led  before  a  mortal — tiiere,  found  innocent, 
yet  condemned !  But  how  is  this  possible  ?  Shall  feeble  dying 
worms  bind  their  Almighty  Maker — Him  who  sinks  the  pomp, 
the  glory,  and  the  power,  of  Pharoah  and  ni-;  host,  to  the  bottom 
of  the  sea — and  strikes  Sennacherib's  mighty  army  dead  in  a 
moment  ? 

Faith  discovers  Godlike  wonders  here.  It  was  cords  of  love 
that  bound  him  fast — love  stronger  than  death,  wnich  passeth 
knowledge  and  transcends  all  created  understanding.  See  him 
who  stretches  out  the  heavens  as  a  curtain,  who  orders  the  ris- 
ing and  setting  of  the  sun,  and  counts  the  number  of  the  stars; 
him  who  covers  millions  of  naked  souls  with  the  spotless  robe  of 
his  law-fulfilling  rightfiousiiess — stripped  nakedf,  and  bound  to  a 


38S  CHRIST    WONDBRFUL    IN    HIS 

pillar  like  a  slave  or  criminal,  and  scourged,  till  all  his  bones 
might  be  counted !  See  that  face  which  is  fairer  than  the  sons 
of  men — which  is  white  and  ruddy — brighter  than  ten  thousand 
suns,  spat  upon,  bruised  and  mangled — red  with  gore  and  swol- 
len with  blows. 

Behold  the  King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of  lords,  who  ruled  in  the 
armies  of  heaven  above,  and  doth  his  pleasure  among  the  inha- 
bitants of  this  earth — who  puts  crowns  of  never  fading  glory 
upon  millions  of  pardoned  rebels — himself  crowned  with  thorns, 
and  his  tender  temples  pierced  with  streaming  wounds!  See 
him  after  all  this,  forced  to  carry  his  heavy  cross  through  the 
streets  of  Jerusalem,  forth  at  the  gates,  and  up  the  mount,  to  the 
place  of  execution.  Behold  him  nailed  to  the  accursed  tree — 
his  hands  and  feet  pierced  with  spikes!  And  now  see  the  Lamb 
of  God — the  holy  and  innocent  Jesus,  suspended  between  the 
heavens  and  the  earth,  and  sutfering  the  greatest  torment.  But 
all  the  excruciating  pains  of  the  body  are  small  and  tolerable, 
when  compared  with  the  intense  sorrows  of  his  soul.  The 
weighty  vengeance  of  God,  incensed  against  sin,  falls  upon  him 
with  infinite  weight;  the  sins  of  the  whole  elect  world  seize 
upon  him  at  once,  like  so  many  deadly  vipers;  the  curse  of  the 
divine  law,  which  brought  legions  of  angels  that  excelled  in 
strength  from  the  heaven  of  heavens,  to  the  bottomless  pit  of 
hell,  was  laid  upon  him  in  its  full  extent.  He  endured  in  his 
soul  and  body,  what  was  equivalent  to  all  the  pains,  the  tortures, 
and  the  fiery  torments  of  hell,  which  all  his  ransomed  blood- 
bought  millions  would  otherwise  have  endured  through  the  cease- 
less ages  of  eternity.  But  the  most  intolerable  ingredient  in 
all  his  sufferings  was  the  hiding  of  his  Father's  face.  The  bliss- 
ful smiles  of  Jehovah's  love,  which  he  had  enjoyed  from  the  ear- 
liest period  of  eternity,  are  now  withdrawn.  The  Sun  of  Right- 
eousness is  eclipsed  in  midnight  darkness.  Now  all  comfort 
from  heaven  and  earth  is  gone.  Now  hear  the  incarnate  God, 
with  groans  which  shake  the  universe,  crying  out  in  the  most 
intolerable  anguish,  '^Eloi!  Eloi!  lama  sabachthani P  The 
rocks  are  rent — the  mountains  shake — and  all  nature  is  convul- 
sed. The  vail  of  the  temple  is  rent  in  twain  from  the  top  to  the 
bottom — the  graves  give  up  their  dead — the  heavens  are  clothed 
in  sackcloth — and  the  sun  hides  himself  in  the  darkness  of  night. 
He  dies!  yea,  the  great  Eternal — and  is  covered  with  blood! 

"Jesus  drinks  the  bitter  cup, 

The  wine  pi-ess  treads  alone ; 
He  tears  the  graves  and  mountains  up, 

With  his  expiring  groan! 
Lo!  the  powers  of  heaven  he  shakes! 

Nature  in  convulsion  lies; 


PBRSON,   OFFICEJI    ANB    WORKS.  383 

The  earth's  profoundest  centre  quakes — 
The  great  Jehovah  dies !" 

The  crucifixion  of  Jesus  Christ,  however  it  may  appear  to 
sinful  men,  was  certainly  the  most  glorious  and  grand  event, 
which  God,  angels,  mankind,  or  devils  ever  witnessed.  Although 
crucified  in  weakness,  and  suffering  ignominious  death  as  a  ma- 
lefactor, by  his  blood,  he  purchased  salvation  and  complete 
redemption  for  lost  sinners.  Never  did  the  glories  and  beau- 
ties of  the  Deity  shine  with  such  splendor  as  when  they  beamed 
from  the  bruised  face  of  the  dying  Son  of  God.  Says  McLau- 
rin,  were  all  the  light  of  the  world,  the  light  of  the  sun,  and 
stars,  collected  into  one  stupendous  mass,  it  would  be  midnight 
darkness,  when  compared  to  the  glory  which  shines  in  the 
bloated,  mangled  visage  of  Jesus,  red  with  gore,  covered  with 
marks  of  scorn,  covered  with  marks  of  scorn,  swelled  with 
strokes  and  pale  with  death.  Here  shines  spotless  justice,  in- 
comprehensible wisdom,  and  infinite  love  all  at  once;  none  of 
them  darkens  or  eclipses  the  other;  every  one  gives  a  lustre  to 
the  rest:  they  mingle  their  beams,  and  shine  with  united  eter- 
nal splendor. 

God's  love  for  his  people  is  from  everlasting  to  everlasting; 
but  there  is  no  manifestation  of  it  known  or  conceivable  to  us, 
that  is  to  be  compared  to  this.  The  light  of  the  sun  is  always 
the  same,  but  it  shines  brighter  to  us  at  noon-day.  When 
Christ  was  on  the  cross,  was  the  noon  tide  of  everlasting  love 
— the  meridian  splendor  of  eternal  mercy.  There  were  many 
bright  manifestations  of  the  same  love  before;  but  they  were 
like  the  light  of  the  morning,  which  shines  more  and  more  unto 
the  perfect  day;  and  that  perfect  day  was  when  Christ  was  on 
the  cross,  when  darkness  covered  the  whole  earth.  It  was  in- 
deed a  spectacle  worthy  the  admiration  and  astonishment  of 
the  universe,  to  see  the  despised  Gallilean  turning  all  the  artil- 
lery of  hell  back  upon  itself^ — to  see  him  entangling  the  rulers 
of  the  darkness  of  this  world;  in  thek  own  nets — defeating  their 
designs  with  their  own  stratagems.  They  induced  one  of  his 
disciples  to  betray  him;  another  to  deny  him.  They  made  the 
Jews  accuse,  and  the  Roman  soldiers  crucify  him.  But  in  all 
this,  He  whose  name  is  Wonderful,  out-generalled  the  Old  Ser- 
pent. 

The  mighty  lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah  proved  .too  powerful 
for  the  roaring  lion  of  hell.  The  unparalleled  cruelty  of  devils 
and  men;  yea,  the  most  horrid,  hideous  sin  which  the  Devil 
ever  prompted  man  to  commit,  is  overruled  by  the  mysterious 
wisdom  of  God  to  effect  the  pardon  and  salvation  of  innumera- 
rable  millions — to  make  an  end  of  all  sin  and  bring  in  an  ever- 
lasting righteousness. 


3id.  He  is  w onderful  in  his  love  and  compassion  to  poor  lost 
sinners.  The  love  of  Christ  v^ill  appear  God-like  and  wonder- 
ful, it  wc  consider  its  nature  and  properties. 

Lst.  It  is  everlasting.  Inliniteages  before  the  heavens  or  the 
earth  had  a  being — before  Adam  was  formed  or  angels  created, 
the  heart  of  Jesus  was  fixed  upoil  the  salvation  of  lost  sinners. 
Therefore,  says  he,  by  his  prophet  Jeremiah,  "/  have  loved  thee 
zoith  an  ei^erlaniirig  love,'"'  Even  then  he  looked  forward  for  mil- 
lions of  ages  t<»  come' — he  beheld  them  in  their  blood — in  the 
deep  and  horrible  pit  of  an  unconverted  state;  and  in  the  early 
counsels  of  eternity,  he  engaged  in  the  covenant  of  jx-ace,  to 
assume  human  nature  and  redeem  them  with  his  blood. 

2nd.  //  is  sovereigii.free  and  unmerited  love.  There  was  nothing 
amiable  in  any  of  the  wretched  family  of  Adam  to  excite  his 
love;  but  every  thing  to  move  his  abbpn-ence  and  displeasure. 
They  were  all  blind  and  dead  under  the  curse  of  the  law — in  a 
state  of  the  most  hostile  enmity  against  God — filthy,  deformed, 
polluted  and  hatciial.  Here  the  adoring  hosts  are  struck  with 
wonder — the  love  of  Jesus  passes  by  rebellious  angels — consign- 
ing them  to  the  vengeance  of  eternal  fire — and  displays  its 
boundless  glory,  in  the  salvation  and  redemption  of  lost  sinners 
of  Adam's  race,  who  as  justly  deserved  the  lowest  tiell.  But 
again — 

;-?rd.  It  is  an  unsolicited  love.  No  guilty  sinner  will  ever  seek 
an  kiterest  in  the  love  and  favor  ot  God.  They  are  all  bent 
ujion  their  own  destruction.  Not  one  of  so  many  ruined  mil- 
lions, will  attempt  to  repent,  to  forsaJve  sin,  and  fly  from  the 
wrath  to  come,  till  the  almighty,  all-conquering  love  of  Jesus 
arrests  him,  makes  iiim  willing  in  the  day  of  God's  power,  and 
plucks  him  as  a  brand  from  the  burning. 

It  will  appear,  that  the  love  of  the  God-nian,  Christ  Jesus,  is 
truly  wonderful,  if  we  consider  the  infinite  price  which  he  has 
paid  for  the  I'edeniption  of  sinners  from  sin  and  hell.  Thousands 
of  rams,  thousands  of  rivers  of  oil,  the  wealth  of  the  Indies,  the 
mines  of  Mexico  and  Peru,  and  ten  thousand  worlds  of  angels, 
given  OS  a  sacrifice,  would  be  a  price  too  small  to  atone  for  the 
guilt  of  one  sin.  Tire  whole  human  race  must  be  damned.  Adam 
and  all  the  innumerable  millions  of  his  posterity,  must  sink  to  the 
bottomless  pit  of  hell,  or  an  infinite  satisfaction  must  be  given. 

When  there  was  no  eye  to  pity,  no  created  arm  to  bring  de- 
liverance, the  love  of  Jesus  was  stronger  than  death.  All  the 
flioods  of  God's  \engean-ce  due  to  sin,  could  not  drown  it.  Love 
brought  him  from  his  topltess  throne  of  glory  to  a  manger,  froni 
the  manger  to  the  cross — from  thence  to  the  grave.  He  comes 
■leaping  over  the  burning  mountains  of  divine  vengeance,  the 
curse  of  tlic  laM',  and  claims  of  oHended  justice — and  stands  in 
the  friiiiijei'is  stead*    ^"He  jua^  woundtd  for  aur  transgressions^  he 


I■ERso^^  OFFICES  attt-i  wop.k$.  385 

loas  bruised  for  our  iniquities.''''  He  dies,  the  just  for  the  unjust: 
he  pays  the  infinite  price  of  man's  ransom,  completely  satisfies 
divine  justice  with  his  blood,  and  cries.  It  J^  finished. 

The  lo\e  of  Jesus  will  appear  wonderful  and  God-like,  if  ■wt; 
consider  his  anxiety  and  importunity  for  sinners'  salvation.  He 
follows  them  irom  country  to  country — from  Sabbath  to  iSab- 
bath — from  year  to  year — as  though  he  would  take  no  denial. 
He  stands  at  the  door  of  their  hearts  and  knocks — he  calls  by 
his  providences — by  the  voice  of  mercy — and  by  the  voice  of 
his  judgments.  He  calls  by  his  word — by  his  faithful  ministers 
— by  the  alarming  voice  of  conscience— by  the  motions — draw- 
ings and  internal  calls  of  the  Divine  Spirit.  He  comes  likes  a 
suppliant  to  their  doors — he  prays  them  as  on  bended  knees,  to 
be  reconciled  to  God.  Ke  courts  them  by  his  groans,  and 
bloody  sweat  in  the  garden,  and  by  Mount  Calvary's  scene  of 
agonizing  torture.  Yea,  his  wounds — his  pierced  hands  and  feet 
— his  streaming  blood — his  dying  agonies  and  expiring  groans, 
— proclaim  with  a  voice  louder  than  thunder,  the  unbounded 
love  and  bleeding  compassion  of  his  heart,  for  poor  dying  sin- 
ners, and  his  gracious  willingness  to  receive  even  the  vilest  of 
them.  Poor  guilty  sinners?  if  the  terrors  of  a  God  will  not 
alarm  you — it  your  own  interest,  and  your  best  happiness  have 
no  weight  with  you — I  ask,  can  your  hearts  remain  unaffected? 
can  they  be  proof  against  the  infinite  love,  the  streaming  blood, 
the  flowing  tears,  and  expiring  groans  of  the  almighty  and  love- 
ly Jesus?  Suppose  he  were  this  day  to  appear  to  you  in  the 
same  form  in  wiiich  he  was  seen  when  on  earth,  sweating  great 
drops  of  blood,  accused,  insulted,  bruised,  scourged  and  nailed 
to  the  cross:  suppose  he  should  turn  to  you  with  a  countenance 
full  of  love  and  pity,  and  drenched  with  blood  and  tears,  and 
say,  behold  smners,  and  see  what  I  suffer  for  you;  see  at  what 
a  price  I  purchase  your  life;  see  how  I  love  you;  and  I  have  only 
this  to  ask  in  return — that  you  will  tbrsake  your  murdering  sins 
which  now  torment  me — that  you  will  love  and  serve  me — and 
accept  of  that  salvation,  which  1  now  purchase  for  you  with  the 
blood  of  my  heart:  this  I  ask  with  all  the  importunity  of  my  last 
breath — grant  me  this  and  J  am  satisfied: — what  answer  would 
you  give  ?  , 

4th.  He  is  a  wonderful  Godlike  Saviour,  if  we  consider  the  as- 
tonishing effects  of  his  mediation,  his  death,  and  atonement. — 
And  what  are  they?  God  is  glorified;  all  the  attributes  ot  the 
Deity  are  displayed  in  beauty  and  glory  beyond  what  men  and 
angels  ever  saw  or  conceived;  the  divine  law  is  magnified  and 
made  honorable;  and  justice  satisfied.  Millions  of  condennied 
rebels  are  pardoned,  justified,  and  sanctified — raised  from  the 
lowest  abyss  of  misery,  and  elevated  to  the  summit  of  glory,  to 
the  perfection  of  blessedness:. 


CHRIST    WONDERFUL   tH    HB 

The  gates  of  everlasting  mercy  are  opened  wide.  The  holy, 
stern  and  inflexible  justice  of  God  received  a  more  ample  and 
glorious  satisfaction  m  the  streaming  blood  and  breaking  heart 
of  Jesus,  than  it  could  have  obtained  by  the  damnation  in  hell  of 
all  Adam's  race,  through  boundless  eternity. 

But  O!  the  glorious  crop  of  repenting  sinners,  happy  chris- 
tians— brands  plucked  from  the  burning,  which  have  sprung  up 
from  the  blood  of  a  dying  Christ!  Says  our  Lord,  ^^ Except  a 
corn  of  wheat  fall  into  the  ground  and  die,  it  abideth  alone;  hut  if 
it  die,  it  hringeth  forth  muchfruit.^^  If  Jesus  had  not  come  into 
the  earth  and  died,  he  would  have  abode  alone — he  would  have 
enjoyed  his  native  heaven  in  solitude,  as  to  any  of  the  fallen  race 
of  man.  But  by  his  dying,  and  lying  entombed  in  the  earth,  he 
has  produced  a  large  increase.  One  dying  Christ  has  produced 
thousands  and  millions  of  living  Christians.  These  tender 
plants  of  righteousness — these  trees  of  God's  own  planting  have 
sprung  up,  and  will  spring  up,  in  every  age  and  generation  of 
the  world, — an  exceedmg  great  multitude  that  no  man  can  num- 
ber, redeemed  out  of  all  nations,  and  kindred  and  tongaes,  and 
people  upon  earth.  Search  for  the  foundation  of  each  one  of 
them,  and  you  will  find  them  deeply  rooted  in  the  blood  of 
Christ. 

Here  another  wonder  presents  itself.  These  happy  souls  pluck- 
ed by  the  almighty  arm  of  Jesus  from  the  gaping  jaws  of  hell, 
ransomed  by  his  blood,  and  conquered  by  his  love,  shall  be  trans- 
planted into  the  Paradise  of  God:  they  shall  be  with  Jesus 
where  he  is,  and  shall  forever  behold  his  glory;  and  while  walk- 
ing the  streets  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  and  singing  the  new  song 
with  all  the  ransomed  blood  bought  millions,  through  all  eter- 
nity, they  shall  be  lost  in  wonder.  New  wonders  in  the  na- 
ture, essence  and  attributes  of  God,  will  be  unfolded;  and  won- 
ders upon  wonders,  in  the  redeeming  grace  and  dying  love  of 
Jesus,  will  be  still  breaking  upon  their  sight.  And  they  will  be 
wonders  to  themselves — each  one  looking  upon  himself  as  the 
greatest  wonder  of  redeeming  grace. 

II.  Mention  some  ol  the  sweet  seasons  when  Christ  appears 
wonderful  to  the  believing  sinner. 

1st.  In  the  morning  of  conversion,  when  the  light  of  the  know- 
ledge of  the  glory  of  God,  as  it  shines  in  the  face  of  Jesus,  breaks 
into  his  soul — when  the  Almighty  Saviour  appears  for  his  deli- 
verance and  rescues  him  from  the  horrible  pit  and  miry  clay, — 
the  tongue  of  an  archangel  cannot  tell  how  wonderful  he  ap- 
pears; wonderful  in  his  beauty,  in  his  glory  and  in  the  excellen- 
cy of  his  person  and  offices;  wonderfully  lovely,  precious  and 
suitable  to  his  situation;  wonderfully  glorious,  compassionate 
and  willing  to  save  to  the  very  uttermost.  View  the  condition 
of  the  poor,  guiltyi,  awakened^  despairing  sinner,  who  feels  him- 


PERSON,    OFFICES    AND    WORKS.  387 

self  just  upon  the  slippery  brink  of  an  eternal,  bottomless,  burn- 
ing hell;  the  keen  arrows  of  the  Almighty  sticking  fast  in  his 
soul,  and  the  poison  thereof  drinking  up  his  spirits;  the  burning 
beams  of  wrath  kindled  in  his  heart;  the  hope  of  mercy  almost 
gone;  the  horrors  of  midnight  surrounding  him  on  every  side: 
how  God  can  pardon,  justify  and  save  such  a  hell-deserving 
wretch,  or  how  to  believe,  to  act  faith,  or  come  to  Christ,  is  a 
dark  and  inextricable  mystery.  He  feels  himself  as  helpless  as 
the  new  born  infant  weltering  in  its  blood.  Justice  frowns — 
clouds  of  vengeance  gather  thick,  with  horrible  blackness — hell 
yawns  and  gapes  to  receive  him;  God  must]  help,  or  he  is 
damned  and  lost  forever.  Just  in  this  helpless,  hopeless,  dread- 
ful case,  Jesus  appears  for  his  rescue — the  glorious  plan  ofsalva- 
tian  is  unfolded — the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God 
shines  into  his  soul — his  burden  of  sin  is  washed  away  by  the 
blood  of  Christ.  The  peace  of  God  that  passeth  all  understand- 
ing, joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory,  flow  through  his  whole 
soul.  O!  how  wonderful  does  Jesus  then  appear!  Wonderful 
in  his  person — wonderful  in  his  two  natures — wonderful  in  all 
his  offices.  All  the  incomprehensible  wonders  of  the  Godhead 
shine  forth  in  him  in  all  their  splendor.  Heaven-astonishing 
wonders  strike  his  adoring  eyes.  The  holiness  of  God,  how 
wonderfully  lovely — the  law  of  God,  how  amiable  and  desirable 
— God's  word  and  promises,  how  sweet  and  soul-refreshing — the 
ordinance  of  God,  how  delightful — his  hopes  of  heaven,  how 
wonderfully  glorious  and  happifying. 

2nd.  Christ  appears  wonderful  beyond  conception  to  the  mourn- 
ing and  believing  sinner,  when  he  surprises  him  with  sweet 
views  of  his  'glory,  after  a  long  and  dark  night  of  desertion. — 
One  wonder  which  strikes  him  with  astonishment  is,  the  Godlike 
love  of  Christ,  which  overleaps  the  horrible  mountains  of  his 
backsliding  and  hardness  of  heart,  the  base  ingratitude  and  un- 
belief by  which  he  has  so  often  pierced,  wounded  and  crucified 
the  Son  of  God  afresh,  and  put  him  to  an  open  shame, — that 
Jesus,  after  all  this,  should  embrace  him  in  his  arms,  kiss  him 
with  the  kisses  of  his  mouth  and  bring  heaven  into  his  soul:  this 
sinks  him  below  the  dust  with  shame,  self  abhorrence,  and  bro- 
kenness  of  heart,  even  while  feeling  the  dawnings  of  heaven  in 
his  soul. 

Another  wonder  which  enraptures  his  happy  mind,  in  the  firm- 
ness and  stability  of  the  everlasting  covenant  of  peace.  He  sees  his 
righteousness,  his  strength,  his  hope,  his  salvation,  his  heaven, 
and  his  all  treasured  up  in  Christ.  O,  says  the  humble,  happy 
soul,  had  my  foundation  been  in  myself,  I  should  have  been  lost 
and  undone  forever — had  my  eternal  salvation  been  suspended 
upon  one  good  thought  or  holy  desire,  1  should  have  sunk  to  the 
lowest  hell;  but,  glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  mv  all  is  in  Christ: 

49 


390  TIE    SCRIPTURAL    TBSTIMUNY    OF 

A  consideration  .jfthis  great  discrepancy  of  opinions,  will  at 
once  convince  us  of  the  necessity  of  the  most  particular  investi- 
gation of  the  scriptures;  for  they  testify  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ. 

Cur  Lord  having  just  entered  upon  his  mediatorial  work,  was 
frequently  engaged  in  working  miracles,  which  abundantly  prov- 
ed the  divinity  of  his  person  and  the  authority  of  his  mission. 
This  roused  the  malice  and  opposition  of  the  Jews  against  him. 
They  were  particularly  oflended,  because  he  proclaimed  him- 
self to  be  the  Son  of  God — a  divine  person — God  equal  with  the 
Father.  * 

In  answer  to  their  objections,  he  refers  them  to  the  testimony 
of  the  scrjp^turps.  the,  oracles  of  God,  which  they  professed  to  be- 
lieve, and  in  which  they  hoped  to  obtain  eternal  life.  ''•Search 
the  scriptures;  for  in  them  ye  tliink  ye  have  eternal  life;  and  they 
are  they  which  testify  of  ?7ze." — As  if  he  had  said — I  am  the  wo- 
man's promised  seed,  that  should  bruise  the  serpent's  head,  the 
Shiloh  which  was  to  come  when  the  sceptre  had  departed  from 
Judah — the  prophet  foretold  by  Moses — the  branch  and  root  of 
Jesse,  predicted  by  Isaiah — I  am  the  great  antitype  of  all  the 
Jewish  types  and  sacrifices — the  object  of  all  the  prophecies; — 
therefore,  ''^search  the  scriptures;  for  in  them  ye  think  ye  have  eter- 
nal life;  and  they  are  t) Ley  which  testify  of  me.'''' 

The  doctrine  contained  in  these  words,  is,  that  the  testimony 
in  the  scriptures  concerning  Jesus  Christ,  exhibits  the  only  sure 
foundation  of  hope  for  eternal  life.  In  speaking  farther  upon 
this  subject,  we  shall — 

Exhibit  Jesus  Christ  according  to  the  testimony  of  the  Scrip- 
tures. 

I.  The  scriptures  testify  that  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is,  truly, 
and  essentially,  God — co-equal,  co-essential  and  co-eternal  with 
the  Father. — ''•Unto  us  a  cJiild  is  born,  unto  us  a  son  is  given-, 
a7id  the  government  shall  be  upon  his  shoulder ;  and  his  natne  shall 
be  called  Wonderful,  Counsellor,  the  Mighty  God,  the  everlasting 
Father,  the  Prince  of  Peace.'''' — "■Awake,  O  sword,  against  my 
shepherd,  and  against  the  man  that  is  my  fellow,  saith  the  Lord  of 
hosts.''''  ''In  the  beginning  was  the  word,  and  the  word  was  with 
God,  and  the  word  was  God.  The  same  was  in  the  beginning  with 
God.  "For  the  Father  judgeth  no  man,  but  hath  committed  all 
judgment  unto  the  Son;  that  all  men  should  honor  the  Son,  even  as 
they  honor  the  Father.''''  Alluding  to  Jesus  Christ,  Paul  says, 
"Who  being  in  the  form  of  God,  thought  it  not  robbery  to  he  equal 
with  God;''''  "Who  is  over  all,  God  blessed  forever.''''  "But  unto 
the  Son  he  saith,  thy  throne,  O  God  is  forever  and  ever,  "I  am 
Alpha  and  Omega,  the  first  and  the  last."'' 


THE    CHARACTEK    A.ND    WOKKS    OK    CIJJUST.  391 

The  scriptures  testify  that  Jesus  Christ  is  possessed  of  all  the 
attributes  and  perfections  of  the  Godhead. 

Is  eternity  or  everlasting  duration  of  existence,  without  be- 
ginning or  ending,  a  peculiar  and  incommunicable  attribute  of 
Deity?  The  scriptures  ascribe  this  to  Jesus  Christ.  ''''But thou 
Bethlehem  Epratah,  though  thou  be  little  among  the  thousands  of 
Judah,  yet  out  of  thee  shall  he  come  forth  unto  ?»e,  that  is  to  be 
ruler  in  Israel;  ichose  goings  forth  have  been  from  of  old,  from 
everlasting.''''  This  passage  of  scripture  is  applied  to  Jesus  Christ 
by  the  Jewish  Sanhedrim. 

Is  immensity  or  Omnipresence  an  attribute  of  the  Deity?  It 
also  is  ascribed  to  Jesus  Christ  by  the  testimony  of  scripture, 
"/"or  where  two  or  three  are  gathered  together  in  my  name,  there  am 
I  in  the  ?nidst  of  the?n.'''  This  undoubtedly  implies  the  Omni- 
presence of  his  essence.  Though  the  humble  followers  of  Jesus, 
scattered  over  all  Europe,  Asia,  Africa  and  America,  should  be 
met  together,  in  ten  thousand  places,  at  the  same  time,  in  the 
name  of  Christ,  according  to  this  promise  he  will  be  in  the  midst 
of  them  all.  And  of  the  same  purport  is  his  promise  to  his  faith- 
ful ministers. — ^'■Go  ye,  therefore,  and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing 
them  in  the  nameoftkt  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Huly 
Ghost,  teaching  them  to  observe  all  things  whatsoover  1  have  com- 
mandedyou;  and,  lo,  I  am  loith  you  alway,  even  unto  the  end  of 
the  world.'''' 

The  scriptures  testify  that  Christ  is  Omniscient,  possessed  of 
all  knowledge.  '•^Lord,  thou  knowest  all  things,  thou  kno west  that 
I  love  thee.''''  This  is  Peter's  reply  when  questioned  by  Jesus 
concerning  his  attachment  to  him.  The  scriptures  apply  to 
Christ  all  the  names  peculiar  to  the  Deity.  Is  Jehovah,  appliea 
only  to  the  Lord  of  hosts?  It  is  also  given  to  Christ.  '•''His 
name  shall  be  called,  the  Lord  our  righteousness."  Jehovah  is 
here  translated  Lord  in  capital  letters  as  in  most  places.  Is  I 
AM  an  incommunicable  name  of  God  expressive  of  his  eternity, 
self  existence,  independence,  and  incomprehensibility.  This, 
also,  is  ascribed  to  Christ.  He  applies  it  to  himself,  when  the 
Jews  say,  '•'•Ttiou  art  not  yet  ffty  years  old,  and  hast  thou  seen 
Abraham?''''  He  saitdunto  them,  ^^Verily,verily,  Isayuntoyov, 
before  Abraham  zvas  I  AM."  When  Thomas  saw  him  after  his 
resurrection  and  was  convinced  that  he  was  risen,  termed  him 
"ilij/  Lord  and  my  God.'''' 

The  testimony  of  scripture  ascribes  to  him  the  peculiar  words 
and  operations  of  the  Deity.  All  things  were  made  by  him;  and 
without  him  was  not  any  thing  made  that  was  madef  ^^For  by  him 
were  all  things  created,  that  are  in  heaven  and  that  are  in  earth, 
visible  and  invisible,  whether  they  be  thrones,  or  dominions,  or 
principalities  or  powers;  all  things  weremade  by  him  ardfor  him,'''' 


392  SCRIPTURAL    TESTIMONY    OF 

They  testify  that  he  is  the  proper  object  of  the  same  worship 
as  that  which  is  due  to  God. 

The  Eastern  Magi  worshipped  him  when  an  infant  at  Bethle- 
hem. His  disciples,  after  his  resurrection,  held  him  by  the  feet 
and  worshipped  him.  The  Eternal  Father  says,  '''' Let  all  the  an- 
gels of  heaven  worship  him.^^  When  tempted  of  the  Devil  in  the 
wilderness,  our  Lord  replies,  ^'Thou  shall  worship  the  Lord  thy 
God,  and  him  only  shalt  thou  serve.'''' 

The  scriptures  also  testify  of  Christ,  that  although  essential  to 
God,  yet  he  is  truly  man  in  our  nature.  John  the  evangelist  tells 
us,  that  the  eternal  '''Word  was  madejlesh  and  dwelt  among  us.'''' 
Paul  tells  us  that  although  in  the  form  of  God,  and  thought  it 
not  robbery  to  be  equal  with  him,  he  "made  himself  of  no  repu- 
tation, and  took  upon  him  the  form  of  a  servant,  and  was  made 
in  the  likeness  of  men;"  "For  as  much  then  as  the  children  are 
partakers  of  flesh  and  blood,  he  also  himself  likewise  took  part  of 
the  same."  Indeed  the  histories  of  the  four  evangelists  abun- 
dantly prove  his  human  nature. 

They  testify,  that  although  truly  God  and  truly  man,  yet  he  is 
but  one  person — that  in  him  the  divine  and  human  natures, 
though  infinitely  distinct,  are  united.  Therefore,  he  is  called, 
'•''the  son  of  man  which  is  in  heavenf  and  his  blood  which  was  shed 
for  the  remission  of  sins,  is  styled  the  hlood  of  God. 

il.  The  scriptures  testify  that  this  Jesus  laid  down  his  life  for 
guilty, lost  sinners;  that  he  died  in  their  law  room  and  place. 
But  say  the  opposers  of  this  doctrine, /aw?  room  and  pZace  are  not 
scriptural  terms. — This  makes  no  difference  provided  they  are 
scriptural  ideas.  It  is  said  that  he  was ''made  the  surety  of  a  bet- 
ter covenant.^''  Now  a  surety  stands  in  the  lawroom  and  place  of 
a  principal  debtor. 

Saith  Isaiah,  "He  was  wounded  for  our  transgressions,  he  was 
bruised  for  our  iniquities."  "Christ  also  hath  once  suffered  for 
sins,  the  just  for  the  unjust,  that  he  might  bring  us  to  God,  be- 
ing put  to  death  in  the  flesh."  He  was  "made  to  be  sin  for  us, 
who  knew  no  sin." 

That  Christ  died  to  satisfy  the  justice  of  God  for  the  sins  of 
guilty,  fallen  man  will  appear,  very  clearly,  if  we  consider  that 
he  is  often  called  an  "offering  for  sin,"  "a  sacrifice  to  God."  In 
Isaiah  it  is  said,  "Thou  shalt  make  his  soul  an  offering  for  sin: 
and  again,  Christ  "hath  given  himself  for  us,  an  offering,  and  a 
sacrifice  to  God  for  a  sweet  smelling  Saviour."  He  hath  ap- 
peared, "to  put  away  sin  by  the  sacrifice  of  himself."  A  sacri- 
fice is  something  offered  up  to  heaven  to  atone  for  sin — to  ap- 
pease the  anger  of  the  Deity.  If  this  be  correct,  then  Christ 
suffered  to  appease  the  wrath  of  God.  The  scriptures  express- 
ively assert  that  God  gave  his  Son,  that  he  sent  him  into  the  world 
to  atone  lor  the  sins  of  men.     "God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he 


THE  CHARACTER  AND  WORKS  OP  CHRIST.  393 

gave  his  only  begotten  son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him 
should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life."  He  "spared  not 
his  own  son,  but  delivered  him  up  for  us  all."  "Him,  being  de- 
livered by  the  determinate  counsel  and  foreknowledge  of  God, 
ye  Imve  taken,  and  by  wicked  hands,  have  crucified  and  slain." 
But  for  what  purpose?  The  apostle  tells  us  that  God  set  him 
forth,  "to  be  a  propitiation,  through  faith  in  his  blood,  to  declare 
his  righteousness  for  the  remission  of  sins — that  he  might  be 
just  and  the  justifier  of  him  which  believeth  in  Jesus." 

III.  The  scriptures  testify  that  the  work  of  redemption  is  com- 
plete— that  the  infinite  price  of  man's  ransom  has  been  paid  to 
the  uttermost  farthing. 

Our  Lord,  speaking  of  the  mission  of  the  Spirit  informs  us, 
that  "When  he  should  come,  he  would  reprove  the  world  of 
sin,  and  of  righteousness,  and  of  judgment:  of  sin,  because  they 
believed  not  on  him;  of  righteousness,  because  I  go  to  my  Fath- 
er." This  implies,  that  his  almighty,  all  sufficient  righteousness 
is  complete;  for  if  the  work  of  redemption  had  not  been  finished, 
he  would  not  have  ascended  to  his  Father:  but  by  his  resurrec- 
tion from  the  dead,  and  ascension  to  heaven,  he  has  proclaimed 
to  all  rational  worlds,  thathehas  fulfilled  the  law,  satisfied  divine 
justice,  robbed  death  of  his  sting,  and  bruised  the  Old  Serpent's 
head — and  that  God  can  be  just  and  the  justifier  of  the  ungodly 
sinner  who  believes  in  Jesus.  In  reference  to  this,  the  apostle 
says,  he  "was  delivered  for  our  offences,  and  was  raised  for  our 
justification."  "He  is  able  to  save  them  to  the  uttermost  that 
come  unto  God  by  him,  seeing  he  ever  liveth  to  make  intercess- 
ion for  them."  And  in  the  boldest  language,  therefore,  the  apos- 
tle proclaims  the  all-sufficiency  of  his  merits  and  mediation  to 
save.  "Who  shall  lay  any  thing  to  the  charge  of  God's  elect? 
It  is  God  that  justifieth;  who  is  he  that  condemneth?  It  is  Christ 
that  died,  yea  rather  that  is  risen  again,  who  is  even  at  the  right 
hand  of  God,  who  also  maketh  intercession  for  us." 

IV.  The  scriptures  testify  that  the  grand  object  of  Christ's 
mission  into  the  world  was  to  redeem  mankind  from  sin,  to 
make  them  holy  and  prepare  them  for  the  heavenly  state. 

It  was  foretold  that  the  blessed  effect  of  his  suffering  and 
death  should  be,  "to  finish  the  transgression,  and  to  make  an 
end  of  sin,  and  to  make  reconciliation  for  iniquity,  and  to 
bring  in  everlasting  righteousness." 

It  was  declared  by  the  angel  to  Joseph,  before  he  was  born, 
that  his  name  should  be  called  "Jesus,  for  he  shall  save  his  peo- 
ple from  their  sins."  John  the  Baptist  styles  him,  "the  Lamb 
of  God,  which  taketh  away  the  sm  of  the  world."  Peter  says, 
"Him  hath  God  exalted  with  his  right  hand  to  be  a  prince  and 
a  saviour,  for  to  give  repentance  to  Israel  and  remission  of  sins." 


394  scaiPTURAL  tkstimont  of 

"The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ,"  the  Son  of  God,  "cleanseth  us  from 
all  sin." 

V.  The  scriptures  testify,  that  by  the  sufferings  and  death, 
the  merits  and  mediation  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  a  door  of 
hope  is  opened  to  a  guilty  world — pardon,  salvation,  and  eter- 
nal life  are  brought  near  and  freely  offered  to  the  chief  of  sin- 
ners— to  sinners  of  every  name,  character  or  description. 

Our  Lord  commissions  preachers  of  the  gospel,  and  sends 
them  to  proclaim  a  free  salvation  to  every  guilty,  dying  sinner 
who  will  accept  of  it.  "Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach 
the  gospel  to  eveiy  creature.  He  that  believeth  and  is  baptiz- 
ed, shall  be  saved;  he  that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned."  To 
the  same  purpose  are  the  gracious  offers  of  mercy  and  salvation 
made  in  the  prophecy  of  Isaiah. — "Look  unto  me,  and  be  ye 
saved,  all  the  ends  of  the  earth:  for  I  am  God,  and  there  is  none 
else."  "Ho,  every  one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the  waters, 
and  he  that  hath  no  money;  come  ye,  buy  and  eat;  yea,  come 
buy  wine  and  milk  without  money  and  without  price."  "Him 
that  Cometh  unto  me,  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out."  This  glorious, 
free  salvation,  which  contains  all  the  rich  blessings  of  the  new 
covenant,  is  represented  in  scripture  under  the  figure  of  a  mar- 
riage feast.  It  is  proclaimed  to  all  guilty  sinners  of  every  age, 
rank  and  condition,  to  come,  for  all  things  are  ready — on  God's 
part.  The  ministers  of  the  gospel  are  commanded  to  go  out  into 
the  lanes  and  streets,  the  hedges  and  highways,  to  use  every  ar- 
gument and  every  persuasion  to  compel  them  to  come. 

VI.  The  scriptures  testify  that  this  Jesus — this  Almighty 
Saviour,  and  the  all  sufficient  salvation,  which  he  hath  purchas- 
ed, will  avail  us  nothing,  unless  we  submit  to  the  terms  upon 
which  they  are  offered — unless  we  receive  Christ  and  salvation, 
and  appropriate  them  to  our  particular  case,  as  a  man  receives 
food  and  applies  it  to  his  appetite.  Says  Christ,  "I  am  the  liv- 
ing bread  which  came  down  from  heaven:  if  any  man  eat  of 
this  bread,  he  shall  live  forever;  and  the  bread  which  I  give  is 
my  flesh,  which  I  will  give  for  the  life  of  the  world."  Whoso 
eateth  my  flesh  and  drinketh  my  blood,  hath  eternal  life;  and  I 
will  raise  him  up  at  the  Inst  day."  He  that  eateth  my  flesh, 
and  drinketh  my  blood,  dwelleth  in  me  and  I  in  him." 

The  terms  proposed  by  the  Almighty  Sovereign  of  the  Uni- 
verse, and  upon  which  eternal  life  and  eternal  death  are  sus- 
pended, are  these:  "He  that  believeth  shall  be  saved — he  that 
believeth  not,  shall  be  damned."  "Verily,  verily,  except  a  man 
be  born  ag^in,  born  of  the  water  and  the  Spirit,  he  cannot  enter 
into  the  kingdom  of  God."  Except  ye  repent,  ye  shall  all  like- 
wise perish." 

VII.  The  scriptures  testify,  that  those  who  have  received 
Christ — who  are  pardoned  and  justified  by  his  merits  and  perfect 


THE    CHARACTER    AND    WORKS    OP    CHRIST.  395 

righteousness,  have  a  knowledge  of  God  and  Christ,  which  the 
men  of  the  world  cannot  acquire — which  the  highest  exertion  of 
their  minds  cannot  obtain.  "But  the  natural  manreceivethnot 
the  things  of  the  Spirit  of  God;  for  they  are  foolishness  unto 
him;  neither  can  he  know  them,  for  they  are  spiritually  dis- 
cerned." This  knowledge  is  communicated  by  the  power  and 
agency  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  "For  God  who  commanded  the 
light  to  shine  out  of  darkness,  hath  shined  in  our  hearts,  to  give 
the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of 
Jesus  Christ."  By  this  knowledge  they  discover  the  glory, 
beauty,  and  excellency  of  spiritual  and  eternal  things. — "But 
we  all,  with  open  face,  beholding  as  in  a  glass  the  glory  of  the 
Lord,  are  changed  into  the  same  image  from  glory  to  glory, 
even  as  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord.  This  knowledge  is  the  very 
essence  of  their  heaven-born  nature.  "And  this  is  life  eternal, 
that  they  might  know  thee  the  only  true  God  and  Jesus  Christ 
whom  thou  hast  sent." 

They  who  have  received  Christ  are  clad  in  the  spotless  robe 
of  his  righteousness. — 'I  will  greatly  rejoice  in  the  Lord,  my 
soul  shall  be  joyful  in  my  God;  for  he  hath  clothed  me  in  the 
garments  of  salvation,  he  hath  covered  me  with  the  robe  of  right- 
eousness, as  a  bridegroom  decketh  himself  with  ornaments,  and 
as  a  bride  adorneth  herself  with  her  jewels."  And  therefore 
says  the  apostle,  "Ye  have  not  received  the  spirit  of  bondage 
again  to  fear;  but  ye  have  received  the  spirit  of  adoption,  where- 
by we  cry  Abba  Father.  The  Spirit  itself  beareth  witness 
with  our  spirit  that  we  are  the  children  of  God." — "Being  jus- 
tified by  faith,  we  have  peace  with  God  through  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ."  They  are  in  Christ,  and  therefore  are  free  from  con- 
demnation. "There  is,  therefore  no  condemnation  to  them 
which  are  in  Christ  Jesus."  They  have  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  and 
are  led  by  him,  therefore  they  "walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but  af- 
ter the  spirit,"  and  they  bring  forth  the  fruits  of  the  spirit  in 
their  hearts  and  lives.  Says  the  apostle,  "For  as  many  as  are 
led  by  the  spirit  of  God,  they  are  the  sons  of  God."  "If  any 
man  have  not  the  spirit  of  Christ,  he  is  none  of  his."  "The 
fruit  of  the  spirit  is  love,  joy,  peace,  long  suffering,  gentleness, 
goodness,  faith,  meekness,  temperance." 

The  scriptures  testify  that  Christ  is  the  beloved  object  who 
engages  their  warmest  affections.  — "Unto  you,  therefore,  which 
believe  he  is  precious" — that  Christ  is  in  them,  and  they  in  him 
— that  they  are  so  united  in  Christ,  that  they  are  one  with  him 
as  he  is  one  with  the  Father:  "That  they  may  be  one,  as  thou 
Father,  art  in  me,  and  I  in  thee,  that  they  also  may  be  one  of 
us;"  "I  in  them,  and  thou  in  me,  that  l^ey  may  be  perfect  in 
one:"  that  they  have  communion  and  fellowship  with  Christ, 
"Truly,  our  fellowship  is  with  the  Father,  and  with  his  son 

50 


896  SCRIPTURAL    TESTIMONY    OF 

Jesus  Christ:"  that  they  have  good  evidence  of  the  reality  of 
their  love  to  Christ — they  live  a  life  of  holy  obedience  to  all  his 
commands — they  are  growing  in  grace  and  in  the  knowledge 
of  their  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ — going  on  from  strength  to 
strength — growing  up  to  the  fulness  of  the  stature  of  perfect  men 
in  Christ — that  their  salvation  through  the  blood  of  Christ,  con- 
tains an  eternity  of  blessedness — that  Christ  is  preparing  a  place, 
and  making  all  things  ready  for  them,  where  they  shall  be  for- 
ever with  him  and  behold  his  glory.  "In  my  father's  house  are 
many  mansions;  if  it  were  not  so  I  would  have  told  you.  I  go 
to  prepare  a  place  for  you,  and  if  I  go  and  prepare  a  place 
for  you,  I  will  come  again  and  receive  you  unto  myself;  that 
where  I  am  there  ye  may  be  also."  "Father,  I  will  that 
they  also,  whom  thou  hast  given  me,  be  with  me  where  I 
am;  that  they  may  behold  my  glory  which  thou  hast  given  me." 

VIII.  The  scriptures  testify  of  Christ,  that  he  is  ordained  by 
the  Father,  Supreme  Judge  of  quick  and  dead;  who  shall  come 
in  all  the  pomp  and  grandeur  of  his  Godhead,  to  fix  the  ever- 
lasting state  of  all  the  numberless  millions  of  Adam's  race — to 
take  all  his  blood  bought  purchase  home  to  their  heavenly  inheri- 
tance ;  and  doom  the  wicked  to  everlasting  fire.  "He  hath  ap- 
pointed a  day,  in  the  which  he  will  judge  the  world  in  righteous- 
ness by  that  man  he  hath  ordained;  whereof  he  hath  given  assu- 
rance unto  all  men,  in  that  he  hath  raised  him  from  the  dead. 

The  scriptures  testify  that  his  coming  to  judgment  will  be  at 
a  time,  when  the  world  leasts  expects  him;  that  he  will  come 
like  a  thief  in  the  night,  when  mankind  are  sunk  in  wickedness, 
dissipation  and  carnal  security;  just  as  the  deluge  surprised  the 
old  world,  or  as  sudden  destruction  seized  and  consumed  the 
sinners  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah. 

His  coming  will  be  open  and  manifest  to  the  view  of  all 
worlds. — "Behold  he  cometh  with  clouds;  and  every  eye  shall 
see  him,  and  they  also  which  pierced  him;  and  all  kindreds  of 
the  earth  shall  wail  because  of  him." 

His  appearing  in  judgment  will  be  unspeakably  glorious  and 
majestic.  The  son  of  man  shall  be  seen  "coming  in  the  clouds 
of  heaven  with  power  and  great  glory.  And  he  shall  send  his 
angels  with  a  great  sound  of  a  trumpet;  and  they  shall  gather 
together  his  elect  from  the  four  winds,  from  one  end  of  heaven 
to  the  other."  "For  the  Lord  himself  shall  descend  from  hea- 
ven with  a  shout,  wath  the  voice  of  the  archangel,  and  with  the 
trump  of  God."  Says  the  prophet  Daniel,  "I  beheld  till  the 
thrones  were  cast  down,  and  the  ancient  of  days  did  sit,  whose 
garment  was  white  as  snow,  and  the  hair  of  his  head  like  the 
pure  wool ;  his  throne  was  like  the  fiery  flame,  and  his  wheels 
as  burning  fire.  A  fiery  stream  issued  and  came  forth  from  be- 
fore him:  thousands  and  thousands  mmistered  unto  him,  and 


THE    CHABAGTXR   AND    WORKS    OF    CHRIST.  S97 

ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand  before  him;  the  judgment  was 
set  and  the  books  were  opened." 

The  scriptures  testify  that  "the  dead  in  Christ  shall  rise  first;" 
they  shall  spring  from  their  dusty  tombs,  beautiful  and  immortal 
their  bodies  fashioned  like  Christ's  glorious  body.  The  graves 
shall  give  up  their  dead — the  sea  shall  give  up  her  dead — death 
and  hell  shall  give  up  their  dead.  Now  Adam  and  his  nume- 
rous race  stand  upon  the  ^obe,  in  one  vast  amazing  multitude. 
Then  shall  the  judge  "separate  them,  one  from  another,  as  a 
shepherd  divideth  his  sheep  from  the  goats;"  and  then  he  pro- 
nounces sentence,  saying  to  those  on  his  right  hand,  "Come  ye 
blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you 
from  the  foundation  of  the  world."  "Then  shall  he  say  to  them 
on  the  left  hand,  depart  from  me  ye  cursed,  into  everlasting  fire, 
prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels."  But  Christ  and  all  his 
redeemed  millions,  shall  ascend  to  glory,  while  the  wicked  shall 
go  away  into  everlasting  punishment. 


SERMON  XXXVI. 


TME  YOriVG  IIVVITED  TO  COME  TO  CHRIST. 


^^Siiffer  little  children^  and  forbid  them  not  to  come  unto  me;  for  of 
such  is  the  kingdom  of  he  ave?i.'^     John  xix,  14. 


When  Christ  was  upon  earth,  some  little  children  were 
brought  unto  him,  most  probably  by  their  parents,  that  he  should 
lay  his  hands  upon  them  and  pray  for  them.  His  disciples,  per- 
haps through  ignorance  and  weakness,  discountenanced  this, 
and  rebuked  those  who  brought  the  children.  But  our  Lord 
interferes,  and  disapproves  of  his  disciples'  conduct,  and  says, 
''^Suffer  little  children^  and  forbid  them  not  to  come  xanto  me;  for 
of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven.'''' 

These  words  taken  in  their  literal  sense,  are  a  strong  proof  of 
the  propriety  of  admitting  infants  into  the  bosom  of  the  church 
of  Christ.  This  will  appear  evident,  if  we  consider  the  '•''king- 
dom of  heaven''''  here,  to  signify  either  the  church  upon  the  earth, 
or  the  church  triumphant  in  the  glorifiad  state. 

But  disputation  is  not  our  object:  we  design  to  enforce  the 
more  important  duties  of  religion,  in  which  the  salvation  of  im- 
mortal souls  is  particularly  concerned. 

We  shall  accommodate  the  subject  to  two  important  cases. 
1st.  To  the  great  duty  incumbent  on  parents  in  leading  their 
children  to  Christ — in  using  all  rational  and  prudent  exertions 
to  promote  their  salvation.  This  is  naturally  implied  in  the 
words,  "iSw^r  little  children  aiid  forbid  them  not.''''  2nd.  To  the 
duties  incumbent  on  children  and  young  persons  in  making  eve- 
ry exertion  to  come  to  Christ  and  secure  the  salvation  of  their 
immortal  souls.  This  may  be  reasonably  inferred;  for  if  parents 
are  under  obligations  to  endeavor  to  bring  their  children  to 
Christ,  surely  children  are,  if  possible,  more  strongly  bound  to 
use  all  means  in  their  power  to  come  to  Christ. 


THE    TOUKG    INVITED    TO   COBIK    TO    CHRIST.  399 

Then  in  attending  fartiier  to  tlie  subject,  we  shall  pursue  the 
following  method. — 

I.  We  shall  invite  parents  to  the  observation  of  a  few  things, 
by  which  they  are  to  suffer  their  children  to  come  to  Christ,  and 
not  hinder  their  salvation. 

II.  Offer  to  the  consideration  of  young  people  a  few  remarks, 
from  which  will  appear  the  propriety  of  their  seeking  religion, 
and  coming  to  Christ  while  young. 

III.  Shew  what  it  is  to  come  to  Christ. 

IV.  State  concisely  a  few  of  the  advantages  of  obtaining  an 
interest  in  Christ,  in  time  of  youth. 

I.  Invite  parents  to  the  observation  of  some  things,  by  which 
they  should  suffer  their  children  to  come  to  Christ;  and  they 
should  do  this: 

1st.  By  setting  them  a  pious,  godly  example.  There  is  noth- 
ing which  has  so  powerful  an  influence  on  the  human  mind  as 
example.  When  children  see  their  parents  walking  with  God 
— daily  keeping  his  commandments — watching  and  praying — 
evidencing  by  their  holy  lives  and  conversation,  that  they  are 
bound  for  the  heavenly  country — thus  an  abiding  conviction  i& 
fastened  on  their  minds,  of  the  reality  and  importance  of  reli- 
gion, which  disturbs  their  carnal  peace,  and  places  a  powerful 
restraint  upon  their  sinful  passions,  desires  and  inclinations;  and 
such  convictions  often  terminate  in  their  conversion  and  salva- 
tion. 

But,  when  children  see  their  parents  live  from  day  to  day,  and 
year  to  year,  altogether  prayerless,  never  bowing  their  knees  to 
God  in  their  families,  or  in  secret,  they  will  live  prayerless  too, 
and  think  prayer  entirely  unnecessary.  When  they  see  their 
parents  spend  the  Sabbath  in  worldly  business — worldjy  con- 
versation— carnal  mirth — and  unnecessary  visits, — they  are  sure 
to  follow  their  example,  and  think  it  no  harm  to  profane  the 
holy  Sabbath  day.  Wlien  they  see  their  parents  get  drunk, 
curse,  swear  and  blaspheme  the  holj^  name  of  God,  they  suppose 
all  to  be  right,  and  will  do  the  same.  When  they  hear  then-  pa- 
rents jesting  and  laughing  at  conversion,  regeneration,  and  the 
life  and  power  of  religion, — calling  it  delusion,  enthusiasm,  dis- 
traction, and  branding  as  hypocrites  all  those  who  profess  the 
name  of  Jesus,  or  calling  them  fools  and  fanatics, — they  will, 
from  the  example  of  their  parents,  despise  religion,  and  treat  it 
with  contempt. 

By  such  means  as  these,  hundreds  of  parents  are  guilty  of 
murdering  their  oflfspring.  They  are  guilty  of  the  damnation  of 
their  children,  and  their  children's  children  for  many  genera- 
tions. 

2nd.  Parents  should  endeavor  to  bring  their  children  to 
Christ — by  restraining  them  from  the  ways  of  sin  and  hell.     A 


400  THE    YOUNG    INVITED    TO    COME    TO    CHmsT. 

weighty  charge  is  committed  to  the  care  of  every  parent:  they 
are  not  only  accountable  to  God  for  their  own  souls,  but  also  for 
the  souls  of  their  children.  If  they  do  not  exert  every  power  to 
restrain  them  from  sin,  and  lead  them  to  Christ,  the  blood  of 
their  children's  souls  will  be  required  at  their  hands. 

In  the  example  of  Joshua,  we  may  see  what  God  requires  of 
every  parent.  '•^  As  for  me  and  my  house  we  will  serve  the  Lord.'''' 
There  is  another  instance  of  the  same  kind  in  the  case  of  Abra- 
ham. Says  God,  "/  hnow  him,  that  he  will  command  his  children, 
and  his  household  after  him,  a7id  they  shall  keep  the  ivny  of  the 
Lord.''''  The  most  intolerable  judgments  of  God  fell  upon  the 
family  of  Eli,  until  they  were  cut  off  and  destroyed  from  the 
earth,  because  he  did  not  restrain  his  children  from  their  wick- 
edness. If  parents  desire  the  salvation  of  their  children — if  they 
wish  to  see  them  enter  the  strait  gate, and  walk  the  narrow  wny 
to  eternal  life, — let  them  withhold  them  from  the  ways  of  sin — 
let  them  restrain  their  children  from  the  abuse  of  the  Sabbath. 
The  profanation  of  this  holy  day  is  one  of  the  crying  sins  of  our 
land,  which,  beyond  doubt,  will  draw  down  the  heavy  judg- 
ments of  the  Almighty  upon  the  inhabitants  of  our  country  in 
time  and  through  eternity.  The  express  command  of  the  Sove- 
reign of  the  Universe,  is,  '^Remember  the  Sabbath  day  to  keep  it 
holy.  Six  days  shalt  thou  labor  and  do  all  thy  work:  but  the 
seventh  day  is  the  Sabbath  of  the  Lord  thy  God:  in  it  thou  shalt 
not  do  any  work;  thou,  nor  thy  son,  nor  thy  daughter,  thy  man  ser- 
vant, nor  thy  maid  servant,  nor  thy  cattle,  nor  the  stranger  that  is 
within  thy  gales.''''  He  declares  that  we  must  keep  it  holy  to  the 
Lord — not  finding  our  own  pleasure — not  speaking  our  own 
words — nor  doing  our  own  works  on  that  day.  The  Lord  has 
reserved  the  Sabbath  as  a  day  for  worship,  and  he  claims  it  as 
his  unquestionable  right. 

The  institution  of  the  Sabbath  is  an  unspeakable  blessing  to 
the  world.  To  spend  one  day  in  seven,  to  learn  to  know  God 
and  do  his  will — to  read  and  study  the  scriptures — to  worship 
the  Lord  in  public — in  private  and  in  secret, — is  calculated  to 
promote  the  welfare  of  mankind  in  time,  and  also  in  eternity — 
But  alas!  is  not  the  Sabbath  at  present,  a  s«hool  day  for  vice 
and  wickedness — a  day  of  vanity  and  folly — a  day  of  visiting, 
sporting,  jesting  and  laughter? — Is  it  not  a  day  in  which  the 
youth  of  the  present  generation,  learn  more  habits  of  vice  and 
dissipation,  than  in  all  the  other  six?  How  common  is  it  in 
every  part  of  our  country,  for  young  persons  to  stroll  about  on 
that  day  in  companies — leading  each  other  into  every  species  of 
wickedness.  O  my  friends,  would  you  suffer  your  children  to 
come  to  Christ — for  God's  sake  restrain  them  from  the  profana- 
tion of  the  Lord's  day.     Compel  them  to  spend  it  in  reading,  and 


THE    YOUNG    INVITED   TO    COMB    TO    CHRIST.  401 

attending  upon  the  public  and  private  exercise  of  worshipping 
God. 

3rd.  Would  you  suffer  your  children  to  come  to  Christ  and 
hinder  them  not — then  teach  and  instruct  them  according  to  your 
gifts  and  abilities,  in  the  knowledge  of  God,  and  their  duty  to 
him:  teach  them  to  read  the  scriptures  and  understand  the  doc- 
trines of  the  Bible.  Family  religion  and  instruction  is  often  en- 
joined upon  us  in  the  word  of  God;  and  this  makes  one  family  a 
little  church  of  Christ,  while  the  want  of  it,  renders  another  fa- 
mily a  synagogue  of  the  Devil.  After  having  given  to  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  the  ten  commandments  and  all  the  statutes  of  the 
law,  says  the  Lord,  '•'•These  words  which  I  command  thee  this  day, 
shall  be  in  your  heart;  and  thou  shall  teach  them  diligently  unto 
thy  children,  and  shall  talk  of  them  when  thou  sittest  in  thine  house, 
and  when  thou  risest  up.''"'  And  thou  shall  writa  them  upon  the 
posts  of  thine  house,  and  on  thy  gates.'''  Ye  fathers,  provoke  not 
your  children  to  wrath,  but  bring  them  up  in  the  nurture  ani  ad- 
mo7iilion  of  the  Lord.'''' 

Do  you  wish  your  children  to  dwell  through  eternity  in  hea- 
ven, then  teach  them  the  great  and  important  truths  of  the  word 
of  God — teach  them  that  they  are  fallen,  guilty,  condemned 
creatures — teach  them  that  they  must  be  regenerated  by  the 
power  and  agency  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  or  else  they  can  never 
see  the  kingdom  of  God — teach  them  the  necessity  of  reading 
the  scriptures,  of  praying  in  secret,  and  improving  every  inter- 
nal and  external  call  of  the  word  and  Spirit. 

My  dear  friends,  is  it  not  evident  to  a  demonstration,  that 
shameful  ignorance  of  God,  of  the  scriptures,  and  divine  things, 
is  one  of  the  damning  sins  of  our  country?  Are  there  not  many 
families  which  have  no  Bible?  Are  there  not  many  young  men 
and  women,  arrived  to  the  years  of  maturity  who  have  never 
read  ten  chapters  in  it  during  their  whole  lives? 

Many  of  our  poor  unhappy  youth,  who  rank  with  the  great, 
wealthy,  profane,  and  dissipated  characters  of  the  world,  must 
call  themselves  Deists,  when  they  do  not  know  a  sentence  in 
the  Bible,  unless  it  be  some  distorted  passage,  which  they  have 
heard  from  some  old  sneering  infidel,  and  even  then,  perhaps,  if 
you  would  give  them  the  book,  they  could  not  find  it. 

Lastly.  Would  you  suffer  your  children  to  come  to  Christ — 
warn  them  of  their  danger,  as  from  the  mouth  of  God—  deal 
faithfully  and  honestly  with  them,  that  your  skirts  may  be  clear 
from  their  blood — court  them — pray  and  beseech  them,  as  in  the 
bowels  of  Christ,  to  repent,  to  forsake  sin,  to  pray  and  cry  for 
mercy,  before  their  day  of  grace  be  past.  Tell  them  with  tears, 
and  sympathy,  and  love,  of  the  fulness,  the  sufficiency,  and  wil- 
lingness of  Jesus — weep  and  mourn  in  secret  for  them  before 


402  THTC    YOUNG    INVITED    TO    COME    TO    CHRIST. 

God — and  carry  their  desperate  case  to  the  Lord  night  and  day, 
by  fervent  and  importunate  prayer. 

II.  Offer  to  the  consideration  of  the  young,  a  few  remarks, 
from  which  will  appear  the  propriety  of  their  coming  to  Christ. 

Now,  in  the  bloom  of  youth,  in  the  morning  of  life,  you  enjoy 
the  most  precious  and  favourable  opportunity  of  salvation.  You 
have  the  fairest  chance  for  eternal  life  of  any  other  class  of  the 
human  race.  Your  hearts  are  young  and  tender;  they  are  sus- 
ceptible of  good  impressions;  they  are  not  yet  seared  and  har- 
dened, by  long  habits  of  sin  and  wickedness:  God's  Spirit  has 
not  yet  taken  his  final  departure  from  you  and  given  you  up  to 
hardness  of  heart,  and  reprobacy  of  mind:  all  the  promises  of 
the  everlasting  covenant,  are  open  and  free  to  you;  yea,  pro- 
mises which  older  and  rebellious  sinners  can  never  plead — can 
never  claim. 

Jesus  comes  as  a  suppliant  to  the  door  of  your  heart,  and 
prays  you  by  his  groans  and  bloody  sweat — by  his  torments  and 
dying  agonies — by  all  the  joys  of  Heaven — by  all  the  blessed- 
ness of  the  celestial  Paradise, — to  give  him  your  hearts  while 
young  and  tender — to  honor  him  with  the  first  fruits  of  your 
lives.  Yea,  the  whole  Trinity,  God,  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
Ghost  come,  as  suppliants;  and  court  you  with  all  the  arguments 
which  an  infinite  God  can  use,  to  fly  from  the  wrath  to  come — 
to  seek  your  salvation,  and  escape  as  for  your  lives,  to  the  out- 
stretched arm  of  a  bleeding  Jesus.  ^'Now  then  we  are  ambassa- 
dors for  Christy  as  though  God  did  beseech  you  by  us,-  ice  pray  you 
in  Christ- s  stead,  be  ye  reconciled  to  God.'"' 

My  dear  young  friends,  it  is  your  best,  .your  eternal  interest, 
to  forsake  the  ways  of  sin,  seek  salvation  and  come  to  Christ, 
now  in  the  time  of  youth.  Is  it  not  your  desire  to  be  honorable 
and  respectable?  Then,  come  to  Jesus  by  a  genuine  conver- 
sion— have  Christ  formed  in  your  souls,  the  hope  of  glory — and 
this  will  raise  you  to  honor  and  respectability  in  the  eyes  of  all 
holy  and  happy  beings — in  the  view  of  God,  angels  and  redeemed 
saints.  If  you  are  hated  and  despised,  it  will  only  be  by  poor 
blinded  and  ungodly  sinners — those  who  bear  the  image  and 
likehess  of  the  Old  Serpent— those  who  possess  the  spirit  and 
temper  of  the  devil — those  who  hate  God,  Christ,  and  heaven, 
and  love  the  way  that  lead  to  death  and  hell.  Seek  the  Lord 
while  he  may  be  found,  close  the  happy  match  with  Jesus,  and 
you  shall  be  the  sons  of  God. — The  eternal  uncreated  I  AM,  the 
source  of  all  perfection  and  blessedness,  will  own  you  as  his 
children.  Christ,  the  brightness  of  his  Father's  glory,  and  the 
express  image  of  his  person — the  Prince  of  the  kings  of  the 
earth,  will  acknowledge  you  as  his  brethren— his  kinsmen,  and 
the  dear  bought  travail  of  his  soul.  Your  conversion  and  salva- 
tion will  afford  joy  unspeakable  to  all  the  holy  angel?— and  re- 


THE    YOUKG    INVITED    TO    COME    TO    CHRIST.  iOS 

deemed  saints  to  the  church  militant,  and  triumphant — to  the 
'  whole  family  of  Christ  in  heaven  and  earth.  Jesus  vvill  make 
you  kings  and  priests  to  God,  and  you  shall  spend  an  eternity 
with  him,  in  his  Father's  house,  clad  in  robes  of  triumph  with 
crowns  of  glory  upon  your  heads.  You  shall  be  possessed  of 
joys,  such  as  "ei/e  hath  not  seen^  nor  ear  heard — neither  have  entered 
into  the  heart  of  man.'''  You  love  to  be  clothed  in  rich  apparel, 
and  adorned  with  the  most  beautiful  ornaments.  Then,  come 
to  Christ,  and  he  will  clothe  you  in  his  perfect  righteousness. — 
When  dressed  in  this  robe,  God  himself  will  pronounce  you 
beautiful  and  lovely — all  fair,  without  spot  or  blemish.  He  will 
draw  his  image  upon  your  hearts;  and  adorn  you  with  all  the 
graces  of  the  divine  spirit;  so  that  like  the  king's  daughter,  you 
shall  be  all  glorious  within. 

Would  you  be  wealthy  and  opulent?  then  seek  religion  and 
come  to  Christ,  and  you  shall  have  true  riches  which  shall  en- 
dure to  eternity. — which  neither  moth  nor  rust  can  corrupt,  nor 
thieves  break  through  and  steal.  You  will  be  sons  of  God, 
^^And  if  children  then  heirs,  heirs  of  God,  and  joint  heirs  with 
Christ.''''  All  things  shall  be  yours,  whether  Paul  or  Apollos,  or 
Cephas,  or  the  world,  or  life,  or  death,  or  things  present  or 
things  to  come,- — all  things  shall  be  yours.  When  you  shall 
have  passed  the  dark  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death,  you  shall 
possess  an  inheritance  that  is  incorruptible,  undefiled,  and  that 
never  fadeth  away — a  kingdom  that  was  prepared  for  you  be- 
fore the  foundation  of  the  world;  and  there  you  shall  possess  an 
exceeding  great  and  eternal  weight  of  glory. 

Another  consideration,  we  would  ofier  to  induce  you  to  come 
to  Christ  is — While  out  of  him,  in  an  unconverted  and  careless 
state,  you  are  in  dreadful  danger,  although  you  are  spiritually 
blind,  and  do  not  see  it;  spiritually  dead,  and  do  not  feel  it;  and 
this  renders  your  case  more  pitiable  and  distressing. 

You  are  in  unspeakable  danger  from  the  Old  Serpent,  who 
tempts  you  to  sin  and  rebellion  against  God:  he  tempts  you  to 
postpone  the  work  of  repentance  and  salvation  to  some  future 
period — to  middle  age,  to  old  age,  or  a  dying  hour.  He  tells 
ydu  that  it  would  sink  you  into  contempt  and  disgrace,  and  for- 
ever destroy  your  respectability  in  the  world,  if  you  were  to 
have  a  serious  look  or  shed  a  tear  under  a  sermon;  and  that  you 
would  be  ruined  and  undone,  if  you  were  to  become  the  humble, 
praying,  broken  hearted  followers  of  Jesus.  He  ehdeavors  to 
persuade  you,  that  there  is  no  reality  in  religion — that  regene- 
ration and  a  sensible  experience  of  religion,  is  all  hypocrisy,  en- 
thusiasm, or  foolishness — and  that  your  highest  glory  is  to  be 
bold  and  open  in  his  service — that  it  is  only  necessary  that  you 
observe  what  the  world  calls  politeness  and  support  the  name  ot 
.a  good  citizen. 

51 


404  THE    YOUNG    INVITED    TO    COME    TO    CHRIST. 

While  out  of  Christ,  you  are  ia  exceeding  great  danger  from 
your  vain  and  sinful  companions.  They  are  every  day  leading 
you  into  idle  conversation,  vain  amusements,  and  strong  preju- 
dices against  God  and  religion;  therefore,  your  hearts  are  every 
day  growing  harder  and  harder — your  consciences  more  un- 
feeling and  insensible.  Every  day,  every  hour,  and  every  mo- 
ment, you  are  out  of  Christ  Jesus,  you  are  exposed  to  the  most 
awful  danger  of  losing  your  day  of  grace,  of  being  eternally 
given  up  of  God  to  irrevocable  damnation.  The  God  of  truth 
has  said,  "Jiz/  Spirit  shall  not  always  strive  with  man.''''  Christ 
stands  and  knocks  at  his  heart;  but  if  it  refuse  to  open  and  re- 
ceive him,  he  will  knock  no  more  and  depart  forever.  Ere  long 
that  dreadful  sentence  shall  be  passed,  "Lei  him  alone  P''  Then 
the  state  of  the  soul  is  truly  worse  than  if  it  were  already  in 
hell. 

While  out  of  Christ,  you  are  in  unspeakable  danger  from 
death. 

My  dear  young  friends,  you  expect  to  live  a  great  while  in 
this  world — you  intend  to  enjoy  a  great  deal  of  happiness  in  the 
pleasures  of  sin  and  in  worldly  amusements, — but  you  know  not 
how  long  the  sentence  of  the  rich  fool  in  the  gospel,  may  be  passed 
upon  you:  "TAom  fool  this  night  shall  thy  soul  be  required  of 
thee.''''  You  know  not  at  what  moment  death,  like  a  thief  in  the 
night,  shall  come  and  arraign  you  at  the  bar  of  an  angry  God. 

Your  danger  is  dreadlul  beyond  conception  while  out  of 
Christ,  for  all  the  perfections  of  God  are  engaged  for  your  de- 
struction. The  wrath  and  curse  of  Jehovah  hang  over  you  like 
a  tremendous  cloud,  just  ready  to  burst  in  storms  of  Almighty 
vengeance  upon  your  devoted  heads.  Hell,  fronpi  beneath, 
yawns  to  receive  you — the  devils  hover  round  about  you  gaping 
for  their  prey. 

III.  Speak  of  coming  to  Christ. 

Here,  by  the  help  of  the  Divine  Spirit,  we  will  endeavor  to  dis- 
play before  you  the  glorious  door  of  hope,  which  the  everlast- 
ing love  and  compassion  of  God,  has  opened  for  sinners,  such 
as  you.  You  and  I  are  invited — urged  and  entreated  to  come 
to  Christ;  and  from  this  we  may  infer  that  there  is  complete  safe- 
ty in  Christ.  Yes,  my  young  friends,  Christ  is  a  hiding  place 
from  the  storms  of  God's  vengeance — a  strong  tower — a  city  of 
refuge  where  complete  safety  is  to  be  found. 

Christ  is  mighty  to  save,  and  able  even  to  the  uttermost. 

1st.  Because  he  is  the  infinite  and  eternal  God,  as  well  as 
man.  All  the  glorious  attributes  and  perfections  of  the  Godhead 
are  essential  in  him,  and  therefore  he  is  mighty  to  save. 

2nd.  Because  he  is  the  choice  of  the  Eternal  Wisdom — cho- 
sen and  set  apart  in  the  eternal  counsels  of  the  Godhead  before 
all  worlds  for  this  purpose-  -to  redeem  and  save  poor  lost  sin- 
nres. 


THE    TOUNG    INVITED    TO    COME    TO    CHRIST.  405 

3rd.  By  his  resurrection  from  the  dead — his  ascension  to 
glory— his  exaltation  at  the  right  hand  of  God — and  his  all  pre- 
vailing intercession  he  has  demonstrated  to  the  universe,  that  he 
has  fulfilled  the  law,  satisfied  divine  justice,  and  provided  a  per- 
fect righteousness  for  all  who  believe  on  his  name.  Therefore 
he  is  mighty  to  save. 

4th.  Plain  matters  of  fact  prove  that  he  is  an  all-suificient 
Saviour.  He  has  saved  millions.  Ask  all  the  adoring  hosts  be- 
fore the  throne  of  God,  redeemed  from  the  earth,  out  of  all  na- 
tions, kindreds,  and  tongues,  and  people,  how  they  came  to  the 
heavenly  fields — to  the  blessed  seats  of  the  celestial  Paradise, 
and  they  will  tell  you,  that  they  washed  their  robes  and  made 
them  white  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb:  they  will  declare  that 
Christ  is  almighty  to  save.  Inquire  of  every  pardoned  and  justi- 
fied believer  upon  earth,  and  they  will  tell  you  that  they  have 
beheld  such  a  beauty,  such  a  glory  and  all  sufficiency  in  him, 
that  if  they  had  ten  thousand  souls,  they  should  all  be  trusted 
upon  him. 

You  are  invited  to  come  to  Christ — and  this  implies  that  he 
is  willing  to  save  you.  Of  this  he  has  given  the  most  unques- 
tionable proof.  The  High  and  Lofty  One  that  inhabits  eternity. 
He  that  is  adored  by  angels  and  archangels,  seraphim  and 
cherubim,  left  the  heaven  of  heavens,  left  the  topless  throne  of 
his  glory,  and  appeared  in  the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh — the  God 
of  joy — the  source  of  all  consolation — became  a  man  of  sorrows 
and  acquainted  with  grief:  he  that  is  being  itself—the  fountain 
of  all  existence — the  source  of  all  perfection  and  blessedness — 
suffered  ten  thousand  hells  in  one,  and  died  upon  the  cross,  to 
save  just  such  sinners  as  you.  Says  the  appostle,  '•'-This  is  i 
faithful  saying,  and  worthy  of  all  acceptation,  that  Christ  Jes  .<: 
came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners,  of  whom  I  am  chief''  And 
he  himself  declares,  that  his  kind  errand  into  our  world,  was, 

"/o  seek  and  to  save  that  which  was  lost.''''     His  bloody  sufferings 

his  excruciating  tortures,  and  dying  agonies,  is  an  unquestiona- 
ble proof  of  his  willingness  to  save,  the  chief  of  sinners — even 
the  worst  of  men  and  women.  See  him  in  the  garden,  crushed 
beneath  the  guilt  of  a  lost  world,  groaning  and  crying,  ^^Father, 
if  thou  be  willing,  remove  this  cup  from  me;  nevertheless,  not  my 
will  but  thine  be  done.'^  See  him  dragged  to  Pilate's  bar,  bound 
and  scourged,  spat  upon,  and  crowned  with  thorns.  See  him 
suspended  on  the  cross,  pierced  with  wounds,  writhing  in  the 
agonies  of  death,  and  crying,  "JWy  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thu 
forsaken  ;ne." — And  expiring,  with  a  groan  that  shakes  the  uni- 
verse—-"// is  finished!'''' 

Every  excruciating  pain  he  felt,  and  every  streaming  wound, 
invites  you  to  come;  yea,  every  drop  of  divine  bipod,  which  run 
from  his  open  wounds  and  breaking  heart,  calls  upon  you  with 


406  THB  YOUNG    INVITED    TO    COME    TO    CHRIST. 

a  voice  louder  than  thunder,  to  fly  for  your  lives  and  come  to 
Christ. 

When  his  wounds  were  open'd  wide, 
Justice  cried,  I'm  satisfied. 
In  his  pierced  side  there's  room — 
Every  drop  of  blood  cries  come. 

"'''Suppose  the  hleeding,  dying  Jesus,  were  exhibited  to  you 
upon  the  cross  to-day— -all  drenched  in  blood  and  tears— -the 
blood  flowing  in  scarlet  streams  from  every  gaping  wound:  were 
you  to  see  him  writhinijin  the  agonies  of  death,  and  hearing 
him  adddress  you,  O  sinner,  is  this  your  hardness  to  your  friend, 
must  I  endure  all  this  for  you — and  yet  will  you  not  come  to  me 
that  you  may  have  life? 

But  it  will  appear  that  Christ  is  willing  to  save  the  chief  of 
sinners,  if  we  recollect,  that  after  his  resurrection,  he  makes 
the  first  offers  of  mercy  to  the  sinners  of  Jerusalem,  his  blood 
thirsty  murderers.  He  commands  his  appostles  to  go  into  all 
nations  and  preach  the  gospel,  '•'•heginning  at  Jerusalem.''''  "Go — 
go  first  to  that  bloody  city,  as  their  case  is  most  desperate — as 
they  are  the  chief  of  sinners — give  them  the  first  offer  of  mer- 
cy  tell  them  I  was  sent  to  the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel — 

if  they  will  "yet  be  gathered,  I  will  be  their  shepherd. — Tell 
them  that  they  dispised  my  tears  which  I  shed  over  them,  and 
imprecated  my  blood  to  be  upon  them,  that  I  shed  both  my  tears, 
that  I  might  soften  their  hearts  towards  God,  and  my  blood  that 
I  might  reconcile    them  to   God.     Tell  them  that  I  am  alive 
again,  and  because  I  live,  my  death  shall  not  be  their  damna- 
tion, nor  my  murder,  their  unpardonable  sin — that  the  blood  of 
Jesus  Christ  cleanseth  from  all  sin,  even  the  sin  by  which  it  was 
shed.- — Tell  them  you  have  seen  the  marks  of  the  nails  in  my 
hands  and  feet,  and  the  wound  of  the  spear  in  my  side — that 
those  marks  of  their  cruelty,  so  far  from  giving  me   vindictive 
thoughts  against  them,  that  every  wound  they  have  given  me, 
speaks   in  their   behalf,  and  pleads  with  the  Father  for  the   re- 
mission of  their  sins,  and  enables  me  to  bestow  it;  nay,  if  you 
meet  that  poor  unhappy  wretch  who  run  the  spear  into  my  side — 
tell  him  there  is  another  way- -a  better  way  of  coming  to  my 
heart — even  my  heart's  love — if  he  will  repent  and  look  unto 
me  whom  he  has  pierced  and  mourn —  I  will  cherish  him  in  that 
very  bosom  he  has  wounded — he  will  find  the  blood  he  has  shed, 
an  ample   atonement  for  the  sin  of  shedding  it.     Tell  him   he 
will  put  me  to  more  pain  and  displeasure  by  refusing  this  offer 
of  my  blood,  than  he  did  when  he  first  drew  it  forth." 

But  who  can  doubt  the  willingness  of  Christ,  that  looks  at 
the  kind,  gracious  and  benevolent  offers  of  the  gospel? 


THE    YOUNG  INVITED   TO    COME    TO    CHRIST,  407 

^^Look  unto  me,  and  he  ye  saved,  all  the  ends  of  the  ear^th.^'' 
'•^Ho,  every  one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the  icaters,  and  he  that 
hath  no  money;  come  ye  buy  and  eat;  yea,  cojne  buy  wine  and  milk 
without  money  and  without  price.'"'  '•''Come  unto  me  all  ye  that 
labor  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  yoii  rest.''''  '•^  The  Spir- 
it and  the  bride  say,  come;  and  let  him  that  heareth  say,  come; 
and  let  him  that  is  athirst,  come:  and  whosoever  will,  let  him  take 
the  water  of  life  freely.''"'  ''''Him  that  cometh  to  me  I  will  in  no 
wise  cast  out.''"' 

But  do  you  say,  ichat  must  I  do  to  come  to  Christ? 

1st.  Forsake  every  sin  and  sinful  pleasure  and  propensity. 
''^Let  the  wicked  forsake  his  way,  and  the  unrighteous  man  his 
thoughts;  and  lei  him  return  wito  the  Lord  and  he  will  have  mercy 
upon  him;  and  to  our  God,  for  he  will  abundantly  pardon.'''' 

2nd.  Seek  the  Lord  with  all  your  heart  and  soul,  in  the  use 
of  all  his  appointed  means,  read  and  hear  his  word  with  pray- 
ing hearts — read  and  hear  as  for  eternity — pray  and  cry  for 
mercy,  as  the  condemned  criminal  for  a  pardon.  You  have  the 
promise  of  a  God  for  it. — '''•Seek  and  ye  shall  find.''''  '''•Seek  ye 
me,  and  ye  shall  live.''''  '''Seek  the  Lord  thy  God,''"'  and  '•Hhou 
shalt  find  him,  if  thou  seek  him  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy 
souV 

5rd.  Strive  as  for  eternal  life,  to  enter  the  strait  gate  of  con- 
version: everlasting  life  is  to  be  lost  or  won:  heaven  or  hell, 
salvation  or  damnation,  is  dependant  on  the  struggle.- — '•''Strive 
to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate ;  for  many,  I  say  unto  you,  will  seek 
to  enter  in,  and  shall  not  be  able.^^  '•'The  kingdom  of  heaven  suf- 
fereth  violence,  and  the  violent  take  it  by  force.'''' 

4th.  You  must  persevere,  in  seeking,  striving  and  struggling, 
as  for  life,  until  you  meet  with  Jesus— till  you  view  his  glory 
with  the  eye  of  faith,  and  feel  the  witness  of  his  pardoning 
lore. 

Coming  to  Christ,  is  the  same  as  believing,  receiving,  look- 
ing, and  flying  to  Christ.  Would  you  come  to  him,  you  must 
pray  and  never  faint— you  must  lie  at  the  footstool  of  the  Sovereign 
God,  crying  for  mercy;  and  this  must  be  your  last  resolve — I  will 
go  to  Jesus,  as  a  lost,  condemned,  hell  deserving  wretch. — If  I 
perish,  I  will  peresh  at  his  feet:  if  I  am  lost  eternally — if  I  should 
go  to  hell  at  last,  I  will  go  from  the  feet  of  Jesus,  crying  for  mercy. 

Do  you  inquire  for  the  evidences,  by  which  you  may  know 
when  you  come  to  Christ. 

1st.  If  you  come  to  him,  you  will  see  by  the  eye  of  faith — by 
the  eyes  of  your  understanding,  the  unspeakable  glory,  beauty, 
and  loveliness  of  the  moral  attributes  of  God,  meeting  and  cen- 
tering in  Jesus. 

•2nd.  You  will  see  an  exact  suitablenes  in  his  two  natures 
and  offices;  the  burden  of  sin  and  guilt  will  be  removed — the 


4t)8  THE    YOUNG    INVITED    TO  COME   TO    CHRIST. 

spirit  of  bondage  taken  away, — and  you  shall  receive  the  spirit 
of  adoption  in  its  place,  by  which  you  will  be  enabled  to  cry, 
Abba  Father.  You  will  deeply  repent  and  humble  yourself  in 
the  dust  before  the  Lord. — "/  have  heard  of  thee  hy  the  hearing 
of  the  ear:  hut  now  mine  eye  seeth  thee.  Wherefore,  I  abhor  my- 
self and  repent  in  dust  and  ashes. — They  shall  look  upon  me 
whom  they  havepierced,  and  they  shall  mourn  for  him,  as  one  mourn- 
ethforhis  only  son,  and  shall  be  in  bitterness  for  him,  as  one  that 
is  in  bitterness  for  his  first  born.''''  And  when  you  have  come  to 
Christ,  you  shall  have  continual  breathings  after  holinss — after 
likeness  to  God. 

IV.  We  shall  state  concisely  some  of  the  advantages  of  ob- 
taining an  interest  in  Christ  in  the  time  of  youth. 

You  will  have  a  disposition  to  shun  and  avoid  the  snares  of 
the  Devil  and  the  temptation  of  the  world — you  shall  have  true 
comfort  in  the  present  life — you  will  be  delivered  from  the  fear 
of  death — and  you  shall  have  a  glorious,  happy,  and  blessed 
immortality. 


SERMON   XXXVIl. 


FtJNERAL.  SEIRinOIV, 

Occasioned  by  the  death  of  Mrs.  Nancy  T.  M'Greadt,  who  departed 
this  life  January  18th,  1809,  in  the  44th  year  of  her  age.  By  Jan.es 
IWGready,  V.  D.  M.  "Blessed  are  the  dead  which  die  in  the  Lord 
from  henceforth;  yea,  saith  the  Spirit,  that  they  may  rest  from  their 
labors;  and  their  works  do  follow  them."     Rev.  xiv.  13. 

"Her  flesh  shall  slumber  in  the  ground, 
'Till  the  last  trumpet's  joyful  sound: 
Then  burst  the  grave  with  sweet  surprise, 
And  in  her  Saviour's  image  rise. 

Then  she  shall  see,  and  hear,  and  know, 
All  she  desired,  or  wished  below; 
And  ev'ry  pow'r  find  sweet  employ 
In  that  eternal  world  of  joy." 


^^Father,  I  will  that  they  also,ivhom  thou  hast  given  me,  be  with 
me  where  I  am;  that  they  may  behold  my  glory,     John  xvii.  24. 


Our  blessed  Lord,  was  now  just  on  the  eve  of  finishing  the 
work  which  the  Father  had  given  him  to  do — to  complete  man's 
redemption  by  the  sacrifice  of  himself;  and  as  he  was  soon  to 
be  removed,  as  to  his  bodily  presence,  from  his  dear  disciples, 
he  comforts  and  encourages  their  burdened  and  disconsolate 
hearts,  by  giving  them  many  instructions,  and  soul  refreshing 
promises,  by  which  they  may  be  cheered  and  supported  to  bear 
the  dreadful  difficulties,  which  awaited  them.  He  then  recom- 
mends them  to  God  by  a  most  solemn,  efficacious,  and  prevalent 
prayer:  one,  which  may  with  propriety  be  considered  a  short 
synopsis,  of  his  all-prevailing  intercession  at  the  right  hand  of 
God. 

In  this  prayer  he  pleads — 

1st.  For  the  sanctification  of  his  people — that  they  may  be 
kept  from  the  evil  which  is  the  world — that  they  may  be  sanc- 
tified through  the  truth,  and  conformed  to  the  divine  nature. 


410  FUNERAL    SERMON. 

2nd.  He  prays  for  the  perfection  of  their  union  to  himself — 
"That  they  may  all  be  one  as  thou,  Father,  art  in  me,  and  I  in 
thee,  that  they  also  may  be  one  with  us:  and  the  glory  which 
thou  gavest  me,  I  have  given  them,  that  they  may  be  one,  even  as 
we  are  one;  1  in  them,  and  thou  in  me,  that  they  may  be  perfect 
in  one." 

3rd.  And  lastly,  in  the  words  of  the  text,  he  prays  for  their 
complete  glorification,  or  the  perfection  of  their  eternal  blessed- 
ness.— "Father,  1  will  that  they  also,  whom  thou  hast  given  me, 
be  with  me  where  I  am;  that  they  may  behold  my  glory." 

Here  we  shall  notice-- 

1st.  The  person  prayimg-— who  offers  his  solemn  and  all-pre- 
vailing petition.  He  is  the  Great  Immanuel-— God  with  us — 
the  woman's  promised  seed  who  brused  the  head  of  the  Old 
Serpent— -and  will  shortly  bruise  him  under  the  feet  of  his  most 
feeble  followers:  he  is  the  Shiloh  who  was  to  come,  and  who 
did  come,  when  the  royal  sceptre  departed  from  Judah:  the 
great  prophetforetold  by  Moses  to  the  church  in  the  wilderness, 
whom  the  Lord  their  God  should  raise  up  to  them,  like  unto 
himself:  he  is  the  "child  born,"  "the  Son  given,"  who  should 
be  called  "Wonderful,  Counsellor,  the  Mighty  God,  the  Ever- 
lasting Father,  the  Prince  of  Peace." — It  is  he  whom  Isaiah  be- 
held, '"''high  and  lifted  up^''  his  train  filling  the  temple  --  and  the 
six  winged  seraphims  crying  one  to  another,  saying,  "Holy, 
holy,  holy  is  the  Lord  of  hosts;  the  whole  earth  is  full  of  his 
glory." — It  is  the  Eternal  Word,  that  "was  in  the  beginning 
with  God,"  and  "was  God,"  by  whom  the  heavens  and  the 
earth  were  created. — He  is  he  "who,  being  in  the  form  of  God, 
thought  it  not  robbery  to  be  equal  with  God;"  who, 'made  him- 
self of  no  reputation,  and  took  upon  him  the  form  of  a  servant, 
and  was  made  in  the  hkeness  of  men;  and  being  found  in  fash- 
ion as  a  man,  he  humbled  himself,  and  become  obedient  unto 
death,  even  the  death  of  the  cross." — It  is  he,  who  is  "Alpha 
and  Omega,  the  Beginning  and  the  Ending,"  "the  first  and  the 
Last;"  who  shall  come  in  the  clouds  of  heaven  with  power  and 
great  glory,  with  all  his  holy  angels,  to  judge  the  world  in 
righteousness.— -"The  Ancient  of  days"  whose  "garment"  is 
"white  as  snow,  and  the  hair  of  his  head  like  the  pure  wool-- 
his  throne"  "like  the  fiery  flame, and  his  wheels  as  burning  fire: 
a  fiery  stream  issued  and  came  forth  from  before  him,  thousand 
thousands"  minister  "unto  him  and  ten  thousand  times  ten  thou- 
sand" stand  "before  him."  This  is  He  who  bears  to  a  throne 
of  grace  the  case  of  every  justified  believer,  and  pleads  with  the 
prayer  hearing  God  for  their  complete  and  eternal  blessedness. 
"Father,  I  will  that  they  also,  whom  thou  hast  given  me,  be  with 
me  where  I  am,  that  they  may  behold  my  glory." 


FUNERAL    SERMOX.  411 

Here  is  love  that  passeth  all  knowledge — love  that  is  stronger 
than  death — love,  which  all  the  mighty  floods  of  Jehovah's 
wrath  cannot  drown — although  he  was  just  entering  upon  the 
scene  of  his  bloody  sufferings  and  dying  agonies — although 
heaven  earth  and  hell,  were  arrayed  in  battle  against  him — al- 
though the  sins  of  the  whole  elect  world,  like  so  many  deadly 
vipers,  were  just  ready  to  seize  him; — yea,  although  he  was  now 
in  a  few  hours  to  endure  in  his  soul  and  body  what  was  equiva- 
lent to  the  pains  and  fiery  torments  of  the  damned — which  all 
his  ransomed  millions  would  otherwise  have  endured,  to  all  eter- 
nity in  hell:  yet  such  is  the  boundless  love  of  the  God-man, 
Christ  Jesus,  to  the  unworthy  purchase  of  his  blood,  that  he 
never  forgets  them — but  presents  them  to  his  heavenly  Father. — 
What  an  evident  demonstration  of  his  unparallelled  love! — 
Though  a  woman  should  forget  her  sucking  child — though  she 
should  have  no  compassion  on  the  fruit  of  her  womb, — yet  he 
will  not  forget  them;  for  he  has  their  names  not  only  enrolled 
in  the  book  of  life,  but  engraved  on  the  palms  of  both  his 
hands. 

2nd.  We  will  notice  the  persons  for  whom  he  prays,  viz. 
Those  whom  the  Father  has  given  him. — "Father,  I  will  that 
they  also  whom  thou  hast  given  me,  be  with  me  where  I  am." 
This  expression,  ^hohom  thou  hast  given  me,"  is  frequently  used 
by  our  Lord  to  distinguish  his  spiritual  children,  from  the  world. 
"All  the  Father  giveth  me  shall  come  to  me:"  "I  have  mani- 
fested thy  name  unto  the  men  which  thou  gavest  me  out  of  the 
world;  thine  they  were,  and  thou  gavest  them  me." — "I  pray 
for  them:  I  pray  not  for  the  world,  but  for  them  which  thou 
hast  given  me."  From  which  we  conclude,  that  those  for  whom 
he  here  prays,  are  the  very  persons  whom  God,  the  Father, 
gave  Christ  in  the  covenant  of  redemption,  whom  he  undertook 
to  redeem  and  save.  They  are  the  persons,  whom  God  chose 
in  Christ  "before  the  foundation  of  the  world,"  that  they  should 
be  "holy  and  without  blame  before  him  in  love" — the  persons 
whom  he  predestined  to  the  adoption  "by  Jesus  Christ  to  him- 
self, according  to  the  good  pleasure  of  his  will" — the  persons 
whom  God  "predestinated,  called,  justified  and  glorified." — In 
a  word,  every  son  and  daughter  of  Adam,  who  ever  have,  or 
ever  shall  feel  the  pangs  of  the  new  birth — who  have  entered 
the  strait  gate  of  conversion; — yea,  every  pardoned,  justified 
and  sanctified  believer  whose  name  is  written  in  the  Lamb's  book 
of  life. 

But  do  you  desire  to  know  whether  you  are  the  persons,  for 
whom  the  Lord  Jesus  prays  in  his  last,  all-prevailing  prayer  be- 
fore his  sufferings  began?  If  you  are  the  persons  you  can  prove 
your  election  or  predestination,  by  your  effectual  calling  and 
justification;  and  by  the  witness  of  the  word  and  Spirit,  you 

52 


413  FVNKRAL    6ERMOM. 

can  say  with  the  apostle,  "Therefore,  being  justified  by  faith, 
we  have  peace  with  God  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ."  If 
you  are  the  persond  interested  in  the  all-prevailing  prayer,  you 
can  prove  your  effectual  calling,  conversion  and  justification,  by 
a  progressive  work  of  sanctification — by  a  life  of  holiness,  self- 
denial,  and  communion  with  God; — for  Christ  prayed  particu- 
larly for  the  sanctification,  or  deliverence  of  sin,  of  his  people 
given  him  by  the  Father:  and  tht  appostle  declares,  that  God, 
"hath  chosen  us  in  him  before  the  foundation  of  the  world,"  for 
the  very  purpose,  "that  we  should  be  holy  and  without  blame 
before  him  in  love." 

3rd.  We  will  notice  the  subject  matter  of  this  prayer,  viz. 
the  glorification  or  complete  eternal  blessedness  of  all  Christ's 
spiritual  children. 

The  eternal  blessedness  of  Christ's  blood  bought  purchase, 
is  exhibited  in  scripture  by  the  strongest  language  and  boldest 
metaphors  which  nature  can  afford;  and  yet  the  boldest  figures 
fall  infinitely  short  of  its  adequate  description.  Their  residence 
in  the  heavenly  paradise  is  termed  a  '•^kingdom  preparecC  for 
them  '•''from  the  foundation  of  the  zcorld''^ — The  better  country — the 
heavenly  Canaan — the  land  of  promise — the  rest  that  remains  for 
the  people  of  God.  It  is  termed  the  city  of  God — the  paradise  of 
God — the  New  Je?nisalem,  whose  walls  are  jasper  and  emerald, 
and  other  precious  stones — its  twelve  gates  solid  pearl — its 
streets  paved  with  pure  transparent  gold,  with  the  pure  river  of 
the  water  of  life,  clear  as  crystal  flowing  from  the  throne  of 
God  and  the  Lamb,  on  either  side  of  it;  and  in  the  midst  of 
its  streets  the  tree  of  life  which  bears  twelve  manner  of  fruits — 
and  yields  its  fruit  every  month — whose  leaves  are  for  the  heal- 
ing of  the  nations.  It  is  termed  by  Christ,  his  Father''s  house^ 
in  which  are  many  mansions — the  place  which  Christ  has  gone 
to  prepare  for  them.  It  is  termed  an  ^Hnheritance  incorruptible^ 
undefiltd^  and  that  fadeth  not  away^  reserved  in  heaven,''''  for  those 
who  are  said  to  be  clothed  in  white,  and  walk  with  Christ. 
They  are  represented  as  wearing  massy  crowns  on  their  heads, 
and  as  carrying  palms  of  victory  in  their  hands,  singing  the 
new  song  which  no  man  can  learn  save  the  hundred  and  forty 
four  thousand  redeemed  from  the  earth:  shouting  hallelujahs  to 
God  and  the  Lamb;  crying  with  loud  voices,  "Worthy  is  the 
Lamb  that  was  slain  to  receive  power,  and  riches,  and  wisdom, 
and  strength — and  honor  and  glory,  and  blessing;"  "For  thou 
wast  slain,  and  hast  redeemed  us  to  God  by  thy  blood  out  of 
every  kindred,  and  tongue,  and  people,  and  nation,  and  hast 
made  us  unto  our  God,  kings  and  priests."  They  are  repre- 
sented as  hungering  and  thirsting  no  more — as  being  freed  from 
all  sickness,  and  pain,  and  death — and  as  having  all  tears  wiped 
away  from  their  eyes.     And  it  is  said,  that  they  have  no  more 


FUNERAL   SERMON.  413 

night — that  they  have  no  more  need  of  the  light  of  the  sun  nor 
of  the  moon,  for  the  glory  of  God  enhghtens  them,  and  the 
Lamb  is  the  light  of  the  place.  They  are  represented  as  hav- 
ing entered  into  the  joy  of  their  Lord — as  possessing  an  exceed- 
ing great  and  eternal  weight  of  glory — joys  such  as  "eye  hath 
not  seen  nor  ear  heard — neither  have  entered  into  the  heart  of 
man." 

But  in  the  words  of  the  text,  the  sum  total  of  heaven  and  eter- 
nal blessedness,  are  expressed  in  two  things,  to  wit,  being  with 
Christ,  and  beholding  his  glory. 

These  contain  all  that  the  eloquence  of  Gabriel  could  express, 
through  infinite  millions  of  ages.  To  be  with  Christ  and  to  be- 
hold his  glory: — 

This,  this,  does  heaven  enough  afford, 
We  are  forever  with  the  Lord; 
We  want  no  more,  for  all  is  given, 
His  presence  is  the  heart  of  heaven. 

To  be  with  Christ  and  behold  his  glory,  is  ten  thousand  heav- 
ens in  one. 

Jesus,  the  heaven  of  heavens — he  is 
The  soul  of  harmony  and  bliss; 

And  while  on  him  we  gaze, 
And  while  his  glorious  voice  we  hear, 
Our  spirits  are  all  eye,  all  ear. 

And  silence  speaks  his  praise, 

The  doctrines  contained  in  these  words,  are — 

1st.  That  the  eternal  blessedness  of  every  pardoned,  justified 
believer,  is  as  sure,  and  as  absolutely  certain  as  the  existence 
of  God. 

2.  That  their  glory  and  blessedness  in  the  heavenly  state,  is 
unspeakable,  incomprehensible,  and  indescribable.  For  the  il- 
lustration of  these  doctrines,  we  shall 

1st.  Endeavor  to  prove  that  every  pardoned,  justified  believ- 
er, shall  be  forever  with  Christ  in  heaven,  and  shall  eternally 
behold  his  glory. 

IL  We  shall  consider  the  nature  of  that  blessedness,  which 
they  shall  enjoy,  by  being  with  Christ  and  beholding  his  glory; 
and 

in.  Apply  the  subject. 

I.  We  are  to  attempt  to  prove  that  the  eternal  blessedness  of 
every  true  believer  is  certain. 

Such  is  the  infinite  extent  of  Christ's  mediation  and  purchase, 
"that  all  things  work  together  for  good  to  them  that  love  God, 
to  them  who  are  the  called  according  to  his  purpose."    And  so 


414  FUNERAL    SERMON. 

it  is,  that  death,  through  the  penalty  and  curse  of  the  law,  is 
made  an  unspeakable  blessing  to  the  believer,  by  the  death  of 
Christ.  He  by  dying,  conquered  death,  and  hath  taken  away 
his  sling  and  curse,  and  it  is  now  a  kind  friend,  a  messenger  of 
peace,  to  bring,  poor  exiles  home  to  their  father's  house  and  put 
them  in  possession  of  their  heavenly  "inheritance,  which  is  in- 
corruptible, undefiled  and  that  fadeth  not  away,  reserved  in 
heaven"  for  them;  yea,  death  places  him  in  possession  of  "an 
exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory." — In  a  word,  death  brings 
them  to  experience  the  blessed  consequences  of  Christ's  prayer. — 
"Father,  1  will  that  they  also,  whom  thou  hast  given  me,  be  with 
me  where  I  am;  that  they  may  behold  my  glory."  The  apos- 
tle John  tells  us,  that  he  heard  a  voice  from  heaven,  saying, 
"Write,  blessed  are  the  dead  which  die  in  the  Lord." 

What  the  old  Patriarch  Isaac  said  to  Esau,  concerning  the 
benediction  of  Jacob,  I  "have  blessed  him,  yea,  and  he  shall  be 
ilessed,"  may  veiy  properly  be  applied  to  the  dead  who  die  in 
the  Lord.  They  are  blessed,  yea,  and  they  shall  be  blessed. 
They  shall  be  eternally  with  Christ  and  shall  behold  his  glory. 
The  God-man,  Christ  Jesus,  hath  prayed  for  it,  and  the  Father 
hath  granted  his  prayer;  and  therefore  it  is  infallibly  certain. 

But  let  us  come  to  the  point,  and  prove  that  every  pardoned 
and  justified  believer,  shall  be  ever  with  Christ  and  eternally 
behold  his  glory. 

1st.  It  will  appear  evident,  if  we  considder  that  Christ's  prayer 
prevails  with  the  Father,  and  cannot  be  refused.  Or,  in  other 
words,  when  Christ  prayed,  his  Father  heard  and  answered  him, 
granting  his  requests.  This  is  indisputable;  for  the  Amen  and 
True  Witness — the  God  who  cannot  lie — hath  said  that  the 
Father  always  hears  him.  So  you  will  see  at  the  tomb  of  Laz- 
arus, when  he  raised  him  from  the  dead:  he  said,  ^^Father^  I 
thank  thee  that  thou  hast  heard  ine.  And  I  know  that  thou  hear- 
est  me  always.^''  Now  if  the  Father  always  hears  Christ  when 
he  prays,  he  must  have  heard  him  and  answered  him  when  he 
prayed,  ^^Father,  I  ivill  that  they  also  who?n  thou  hast  given  me, 
be  with  me  where  I  am;  that  they  may  behold  my  glory.''''  And 
therefore,  all  his  pardoned,  justified  followers  shall  be  forever 
with  him,  eternally  blessed  and  happy  in  beholding  his  glory. 

2nd.  Christ  has  actually  prayed  for  it,  and  the  Father  hath 
heard  his  prayer  and  answered  his  petition;  because  the  will  of 
Christ,  as  God,  and  the  will  of  the  Father  are  the  same:  for  he 
is  God,  equal  with  the  Father,  and  possesses  the  same  divine 
essence  attributes  and  perfections. 

Christ  came  into  the  world,  sent  of  the  Father,  for  the  express 
purpose  of  redeeming  and  saving  that  which  the  Father  had 
given  him — those  whom  the  Father  had  chosen  "m  him  before 
the  foundation  of  tht  world,  that-'  they  ^^ should  be  holy  and  with- 


FUNKRAL    SERMON.  415 

t>ut  blame  before  him  in  love'^ — those  whom  he  had  predestinated 
to  eternal  glory,  '•^according  to  the  good  pleasure  of  his  loilF — 
whom  he  designed  effectually  to  call,  justify  and  glorify: — and 
when  Christ  prays  for  these  very  persons,  that  they  may  be  with 
him  where  he  is,  and  that  they  may  behold  his  glory, — can  there 
be  any  doubt,  that  it  is  the  Father's  will  also?  And  if  it  is  the 
Father's  will,  who  can  doubt  that  they  will  be  everlastingly  with 
him,  and  be  blessed  in  beholding  his  glory? 

3rd.  This  is  evident  from  the  nature  of  Christ's  prayer:  "Fa- 
ther,  I  will  that  they  also^  whom  thau  hast  given  me^  be  with  me 
where  lam;  that  they  may  behold  my  glory.'''' 

Search  all  the  records  of  eternity,  and  perhaps,  there  never 
was  such  a  prayer  as  this  presented  to  the  court  of  heaven. 
When  the  poor,  humble,  penitent  believer  prays  in  faith,  it  is 
with  the  deepest  submission  to  the  sovereign  will  of  God;  when 
the  man,  Christ  Jesus,  prays  in  the  garden  of  Gethsemane,  it  is 
with  the  humblest  submission  to  his  Father's  will — ''Father,  if 
thou  be  willing,  remove  this  cup  from  me;  neverthless,  not  my 
will,  but  thine  be  done."  But  when  he  prays  Tor  the  future 
glory  and  blessedness  of  his  blood-bought  followers,  he  pleads 
for  it  upon  his  merits — upon  the  principles  of  love  and  justice: 
"Father  I  will,  that  they  also,  whom  thou  hast  given  me,  be 
with  me  where  I  am;  that  they  may  behold  my  glory." — As  if 
he  had  said.  Father,  I  have  purchased  them  with  my  blood — I 
have  ransomed  them  with  my  dying  agonies — I  have  fulfilled 
the  law,  and  satisfied  divine  justice  in  their  stead — I  have 
wrought  out  an  everlasting  righteousness,  by  which,  thou  canst 
be  made  just  in  their  pardon,  justification,  and  eternal  blessed- 
ness: I  have  given  the  most  amiable  and  glorious  display  of  the 
beauty  and  infinite  excellency  of  all  thine  attributes,  in  their 
complete  redemption  and  salvation; — therefore  I  plead  for  their 
happiness  and  eternal  glory  in  the  heavenly  state  upon  the  prin- 
ciples of  Justice  and  equity — upon  the  footing  of  my  almighty 
and  all-sufficient  merits,  mediation  and  atonement.  "I  will  that 
they  also  whom  thou  hast  given  me,  be  with  me  where  I  am, 
that  they  may  behold  my  glory." 

Here  we  may  suppose  he  stands  ready  to  answer  every  objec- 
tion, which  the  law  and  justice  of  God  can  possibly  raise  against 
his  plea.  Are  they  by  nature  poor  miserable  sinners,  complete- 
ly lost  and  ruined  by  the  fall?  O,  says  Christ,  my  gracious  and 
benevolent  errand  into  the  world,  was  in  great  mercy  "to  seek 
and  to  save  that  which  was  lost."  I  saw  them  lying  in  their 
blood — and  1  said  unto  them  even  while  weltering  in  their  gore — 
Live!  Are  they  by  nature  guilty  sinners,  condemned  by  the 
law — and  as  unable  to  work  out  a  righteousness  of  their  own, 
as  to  awake  the  dead?  I  am  the  incarnate  God — God  in  human 
flesh — I  have  procured  a  righteousness,  almighty  and  sufficient 


416  rUNKRAL    SERMON. 

for  their  justification — a  righteousness  as  large  and  wide  as  the 
whole  eternal  law  of  God — a  righteousness  so  pure,  so  excellent 
and  glorious,  that  the  all-penetrating  eye  of  Jehovah  cannot 
find  in  it  the  smallest  fault  or  hlemish.  Are  they  polluted  sin- 
ners, stained  and  defiled  hy  sin  in  every  part?  Behold  the  im- 
measurable ocean  of  salvation,  that  bursts  from  my  breaking 
heart — and  flows  from  my  pierced  side.  Here  is  blood  to  par- 
don— and  water  to  wash  them  from  the  pollution  of  sin — and 
present  them  to  God — without  spot  or  wrinkle,  or  any  such 
thing.  In  short,  I  am  made  of  God  unto  them  wisdom,  righte- 
ousness, sanctification  and  redemption.  Then  "who  shall  lay 
any  thing  to  the  charge  of  God's  elect?  It  is  God  that  justifi- 
eth;  who  is  he  that  condemneth?  It  is  Christ  that  died,  yea, 
rather  that  is  risen  again,  who  is  even  at  the  right  hand  of  God, 
who  also  maketh  intercession  for  us." 

Thus,  it  is  upon  principles  of  justice,  that  Christ  pleads,  for 
their  eternal  glory  and  complete  blessedness,  and  a  holy  and 
righteous  God  will  grant  his  request;  and  therefore,  e\ery  par- 
doned, justified  believer,  will  be  forever  with  Christ  and  shall 
ever  behold  his  glory. 

II.  We  are  now  to  consider  the  nature  of  that  blessedness, 
which  the  redeemed  of  the  Lord  shall  enjoy  by  being  with 
Christ  and  beholding  his  glory. 

Were  Gabriel  to  descend  from  his  shinning  seat  in  Paradise, 
and  stand  in  this  assembly,  and  exert  his  eloquence  to  its  utmost 
bounds  in  attempting  to  describe  the  blessedness  which  the  par- 
doned, justified  soul  enjoys  in  being  with  Christ  and  beholding 
his  glory,  he  would  only  darken  counsel  by  words  without 
knowledge.  Created  language  in  making  the  attempt  falters 
and  staggers  under  its  infinite  weight  and  dreadful  grandeur — 
and  all  that  can  be  said  is,  that  it  contains  an  "exceeding  and 
eternal  weight  of  glory" — such  as  "eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear 
heard,  neither  have  entered  into  the  heart  of  man." 

John,  the  beloved  disciple,  who  knew  as  much  of  Christ  and 
heaven  as  ever  man  upon  earth  did,  when  he  attempts  to 
speak  of  it,  can  only  say,  '•'•Beloved  note  are  we  the  so7is  of  God, 
and  it  doth  not  yet  appear  tchat  we  shall  be;  but  we  know  that 
ivhen  he  shall  appear,  we  shall  be  like  him;  for  ice  shall  see  him 
as  he  is."  AVhen  the  united  wisdom  and  eloquence  of  men  and 
angels  have  said  all  that  can  be  expressed  upon  the  subject,  the 
whole  may  be  summed  up  in  this:  they  are  with  Christ  and  they 
behold  his  glory. 

But,  to  descend  to  particulars,  in  order  to  give  some  account 
of  this  blessedness,  we  would  say, 

1st.  They  shall  be  eternally  freed  from  all  sin — they  shall  be 
with  Christ  where  he  is;  and  where  he  is,  no  sin  can  come. 
'•^And  there  shall  in  no  wise  enter  into  it  any  thing  thai  defileth, 


FUNERAL    SERMON.  417 

neither  worketh  abomination  or  maketh  a  lie;  but  they  which  are 
written  in  the  Lamb'^s  book  of  life.'''' 

2nd.  They  shall  be  forever  freed  from  the  dangerous  and 
deadly  consequences  of  sin;  for,  being  with  Christ,  nothing  can 
enter  to  mar  their  happiness  or  interrupt  their  blessedness.  The 
Divine  Spirit  says,  that  the  inhabitants  of  that  blessed  country, 
chall  no  more  say,  I  am  sick — there  shall  be  no  more  death — 
neither  sorrow,  nor  crying;  (or  ^'■God  shall  ivipe  away  all  tears 
from  their  eyes.'''' 

3rd.  They  shall  be  separated  from  the  society  and  congrega- 
tion of  the  wicked.  In  that  blessed  country,  there  is  no  Judas 
among  the  true  disciples — no  painted  hypocrites — no  self-deceiv- 
ed professors — to  polute  the  society  of  the  blessed.  There 
Christ's  redeemed  children  are  freed  forever,  from  the  calumnies 
and  bitter  persecutions  of  the  ungodly  world — for  where  Christ 
is,  they  who  die  in  their  sins  never  can  come. 

4th.  There  they  are  forever  freed  from  the  rage,  malice  and 
subtle  temptations  of  that  Old  Serpent,  the  Devil.  They  are 
with  Christ,  where  he  is,  who  hath  destroyed  the  works  of  the 
wicked  one — who  hath  bruised  his  head  and  will  shortly  tread 
him  in  the  dust  under  the  feet  of  his  most  feeble  followers,  and 
bring  them  off  more  than  conquerors  through  the  blood  of  the 
Lamb; — therefore,  the  Old  Serpent  cannot  enter  the  gates  of 
Paradise — he  will  never  mar  the  peace  or  interrupt  the  enjoy- 
ment of  Christ's  dear  bought  children,  while  eternity  rolls  its 
ample  round.  But,  as  they  are  with  Christ,  there  will  be 
no  hard  and  unbelieving  heart— no  body  of  sin  and  death — no 
inbred  corruptions — no  pained  hearts — no  weeping  eyes — no 
bitter  sorrows — and  no  complaints  under  the  frown  of  an  absent 
God — no  tearsbecauseof  the  hidings  of  Jesus'  lovely  face;  and  for 
this  reason — they  are  forever  with  Christ,  and  continually  be- 
hold his  glory.  Now,  consider,  if  one  view  of  Christ's  personal 
beauty  and  glory,  in  this  wretched  and  sinful  world,  will  break 
the  hardest  heart  and  melt  it  into  floods  of  penitential  sorrow, 
and  makes  every  sin  appear  odious  and  abominable — what  will 
be  the  consequence,  when  they  will  be  with  Christ,  where  he 
is?  When  they  shall  see  him  face  to  face — without  a  dimming 
veil,  or  intervening  cloud,  through  the  ceaseless  ages  of  eternity? 
When  they  shall  eternally  behold  the  meridian  brightness  of 
his  glory?  And  feel  the  boundless,  shoreless  ocean  of  his  love 
shed  abroad  in  their  hearts. 

5th.  As  they  are  ever  with  Christ  where  he  is,  they  shall  be 
always  like  him — they  shall  bear  his  image — and  shall  be  as 
much  conformed  to  the  divine,nature,  as  it  is  possible  for  finite 
creatures  to  be.  Like  their  God,  they  shall  be  perfect  in  holi- 
ness: one  with  Christ,  as  he  is  one  with  the  Father.  They  shall 
bear  the  impression  of  all  the   moral  attributes   of  God  as  far 


418  FUNERAL    SERMON. 

as  their  capacities  will  admit.  This  seems  to  be  what  John  in- 
tended, when  he  says,  '•^When  he  shalltappear,  we  shall  be  like 
him;  for  we  shall  see  him  as  he  w."  If  their  perishable  bodies, 
which  once  in  death  lay  covered  with  a  ghastly  paleness — that 
were  consumed  by  worms — that  mouldered  to  their  native  dust 
in  the  graves;  if  they  shall  spring  from  their  dust,  at  the  sound 
of  the  archangel's  trumpet,  beautiful  and  immortal,  formed  and 
fashioned  like  the  glorioifs  body  of  Christ — O,  how  much  more 
shall  their  souls,  their  deathless,  their  immortal  and  spiritual 
part,  be  transformed  from  glory  to  glory,  into  the  image  of 
Christ — into  the  fullest  and  most  perfect  conformity  to  the  per- 
fection of  God! 

Again  let  us  consider. — If  one  faith's  view  of  the  glory  of 
God  in  the  face  of  Jesus,  in  the  hour  of  conversion,  communi- 
cates spiritual  and  eternal  life  to  the  soul,  completely  '•''dead  in 
trespasses  and  sins''"' — if  it  changes  the  soul  that  was  black  as  hell, 
and  deformed  as  the  Devil,  into  the  very  image  and  likeness  of 
Christ — and  if  the  more  of  these  sweet  views  of  Christ,  the 
poor  believer  enjoys,  the  more  he  becomes  like  Christ — and  the 
more  he  is  conformed  to  the  divine  nature, — what  will  be  the 
blessed  effect  of  an  eternal  and  uninterrupted  view  of  his  glory, 
which  every  believer  shall  have  in  the  Paradise  of  God — with 
Christ  where  he  is?  How  shall  they,  through  the  boundless 
ages  of  eternity,  be  growing  more  and  more  like  Christ,  and  be 
everlastingly  advancing  to  a  perfect  union  with  him,  when  they 
shall  eternally  look  upon  his  open  face?  Not  darkly  through 
a  glass — not  a  transient  view  of  him,  in  the  ordinances  of  the 
gospel — not  a  view  from  Pisgah's  top,  like  that  which  Moses  en- 
joyed of  the  promised  land,--"but  an  uninterrupted  broad  look 
upon  all  his  glories  and  beauties.  Then,  indeed,  shall  we  be 
like  him,  for  we  shall  see  him  as  he  is. 

Gth.  As  they  are  with  Christ  where  he  is,  they  shall  eternally 
enjoy  the  sweet  company  and  blessed  society  of  angels  and 
archangels  and  spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect.  Christ  tells 
them,  "In  my  Father's  house  are  many  mansions:  if  it  were 
not  so  I  would  have  told  you.  I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you. 
And  if  I  go  and  prepare  a  place  for  you,  I  will  come  again,  and 
receive  you  unto  myself:  thai:  where  I  am,  there  ye  may  be  al- 
so." And  in  the  text— -"Father,  I  will,  that  they  also  whom 
thou  hast  given  me,  be  with  me  where  I  am,  that  they  may  be- 
hold my  glory." 

Where  Christ  is  there  is  the  place  which  the  infinite,  eternal, 
electing  love  of  God,  has  designed  for  the  habitation  of  all  holy 
beings,  of  all  glorious  and  blessedspirits.  There  their  ears  shall  be 
forever  regaled  with  the  music  of  Gabriel's  songs;  there  they 
shall  tune  their  golden  harps,  and  sing  the  new  song  with  the 
hundred  and  forty  four  thousand  redeemed  from  the  earth;  there. 


FUNERAL   SERMON.  419 

thej  shall  join  tlie  shouts,  the  hosannahs,  and  loud  hallalujahs  of 
angels,  archangels,  seraphim,  and  cherubim,  and  all  the  glorified 
millions,  who  continually  cast  down  their  glittering  crowns  be- 
fore the  eternal  throne  of  God  and  the  Lamb:  there  they  shall 
enjoy  the  blessed  conversation  of  all  the  redemed  millions,  who 
ever  have  or  ever  shall  enter  the  gates  of  the  New  Jerusalem 
through  the  blood  of  llie  Lamb,-— there  they  shall  see  Adam  and 
Eve,  with  all  the  saints  of  the  antedeluvian  ages;  there  they 
shall  enjoy  the  sweet  conversation  of  all  the  holy  patriarchs, 
prophets  and  kings,  v^ho  were  redeemed  and  saved  under  the 
Old  Testament  dispensation;  there  they  shall  enjoy  the  blessed 
company  of  the  apostles,  and  the  hundreds  and  thousands,  who 
were  converted  and  saved  in  the  primitive  ages  of  the  Christian 
church;  there  they  shall  meet  with  all  the  holy  martyrs,  who 
died  for  the  cause  of  Christ,  who  shed  their  blood  for  the  word 
of  God  and  for  the  testimony  of  Jesus;  there  they  shall  join 
the  sweet  society  of  the  suffering  Albigenses,  who  went  to  the 
realms  of  eternal  blessedness  from  the  most  cruel  torments. — 

"From  torturing  pains,  to  endless  joys 

On  fiery  wheels  they  rode; 
And  strangely  washed  their  raiment  white 

In  Jesus'  dying  blood." 

In  short,  they  shall  enjoy  the  blessed  society  of  all  the  glori- 
ous, heavenly  company,  that  exceeding  great  multitude,  that  no 
man  can  number,  redeemed  out  of  every,  kindred  and  tongue, 
and  people,  and  nation,  upon  the  earth. 

But  O  how  sweet  and  heaven-like,  will  it  be  for  the  humble 
followers  of  Christ,  to  meet  their  dear  brethren  in  that  glorious 
world,  from  different  lands,  with  whom  they  were  conversant 
here  below.  The  very  persons  with  whom  they  have  spent 
sweet  days  and  nights  upon  the  earth,  in  heavenly  conversation 
and  in  spiritual  prayer — with  whom  they  sat  in  communion  un- 
der the  sweet  sound  of  the  gospel,  and  at  the  table  of  the 
Lord. 

Now  they  meet  in  Immanuel's  land — in  their  Father's  house 
on  high,  never  more  to  part  through  all  eternity.  When  they 
met  here  on  earthly  ground,  and  enjoyed  the  sweet  foretastes  of 
heaven  in  their  souls  together,  they  had  to  part  and  sometimes 
part  to  meet  again  no  more  in  this  world;  but  now  they  meet 
in  the  Paradise  of  God— -in  the  general  assembly  of  the  church 

of  the  first  born  inheaven — now  they  enjoy  an  eternal  Sabbath 

now  the  congregation  ne'er  breaks  up— -now  they  are  with 
Christ,  in  the  place  which  he  has  been  preparing  for  them  for 
more  than  eighteen  hundred  years,  Avhere  they  shall  behold  his 
glory,  while  eternity  rolls  its  ample  round. 

53 


420  FUNERAL    SERMON. 

7th.  Being  with  Christ  where  he  is,  they  dwell  in  perfect 
safety;  they  are  in  the  hiding  place,  where  the  storms  of  divine 
vengeance  can  never  reach  them;  they  are  in  the  ark  of  safety, 
where  the  floods  of  almighty  wrath  can  never  overwhelm  them; 
they  are  in  the  secret  place  of  the  Most  High,  under  the  shadow 
of  the  Almighty:  their  place  of  defence  is  the  munition  of 
rocks;  the  name  of  their  Lord  is  a  Strong  Tower,  they  are  in  it, 
and  they  are  safe:  they  are  ever  with  the  Deity,  surrounded  by 
the  Godhead  shut  up  in  the  strong  hold  of  the  divine  attributes. 

8th.  Being  with  Christ  where  he  is,  they  therefore  enjoy  the 
immediate  vision  and  full  fruition  of  the  Three-One-God;  they 
enjoy  unspeakable  and  uninterrupted  fellowship  and  commun- 
ion with  God,  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost— -and  this  is  ten 
thousand  heavens  in  one. 

"There  on  a  high  majestic  throne, 

The  Almighty  Father  reigns, 
And  sheds  his  glorious  goodness  down, 

On  all  the  blissful  plains. 

Bright,  like  a  sun,  the  Saviour  sits 

And  spreads  eternal  noon: 
No  evenings  there,  nor  gloomy  nights 

To  want  the  feeble  moon. 

Amidst  those  ever  shining  skies 

Behold  the  sacred  dove. 
While  banished  sin,  and  sorrow  flies 

From  all  the  realms  of  love. 

The  glorious  tenants  of  the  place 

Stand  burning  round  the  throne. 
And  saints  and  seraphs  sing  and  praise, 

The  infinite  Three  One." 

But,  why  do  we  dwell  upon  particulars,  when  the  wisdom  and 
eloquence  of  men  and  angels  united,  have  expressed  all  that  can 
be  said  in  attempting  to  describe  the  glories  of  heaven  and  the 
blessedness  of  the  celestial  Paradise:  the  whole  may  be  com- 
prehended in  these  two  things — To  he  with  Christ  a7id  to  behold 
his  glory.''''     The  poet  expresses  it. — 

"To  be  with  Christ  and  taste  his  love, 
Is  the  full  heaven  enjoyed." 

They  are  with  Christ  where  he  is,  and  they  behold  his  glory. 

But  where  is  Christ?  He  is  in  the  highest  heavens.  The 
apostle  tells  us  that  "Ae  ascended  up  far  above  all  heavens^ 
Says  John,  '•''And  I  looked,  and  lo,  a  Lamb  stood  on  the  Mount 
Sion^  and  with  him  an  hundred  forty  and  four  thousand,  having 


FUNERAL    SERMON. 


421 


his  Father's  name  written  in  their  foreheads.  And  I  heard  a 
voice  from  heaven,  as  the  voice  of  many  waters,  and  as  the  voice 
of  aireat  thunder;  and  I  heard  the  voice  of  harpers,  harping 
with  their  harps;  and  they  sung  as  it  were  a  new  song  before  the 
throne;'  which  no  man  can  learn,  Hut  the  hundred  and  forty  and 
four  thousand,  which  were  redeemed  from  the  earth:'         _ 

But,  again--Christ  is  in  the  Paradise  of  God.  He  is  meta- 
phorically styled  ^Hhe  Tree  of  Life  which  is  in  the  midst  of  the 
Paradise  of  God."  He  is  also  in  the  heavenly  city,  the  New 
Jerusalem^  for,  says  the  Divine  Spirit,  "TAe  city  hath  no  need 
of  the  sun,  neither  of  the  moon,  to  shine  in  it;  for  the  glory  oj 
God  doth  lighten  it,  and  the  Lamb  is  the  light  thereof. 

Then,  if  Christ's  ransomed  followers  are  with  him  where  he 
is:  they  must  be  in  the  highest  heavens— on  the  top  of  Mount 
Zion,  tuning  their  harps,  and  singing  the  new  song.-- 1  hey  must 
be  with  him  in  the  Paradise  of  God,  under  the  shadow  of  the 
tree  of  life,  and  feasted  upon  its  richest  fruits.  They  are  with 
him  also  in  the  New  Jerusalem,  the  city  of  the  living  God,  where 
there  is  no  more  night;  for  his  glory  doth  lighten  it;  yea,  Christ 
Jesus  is  the  light  of  the  place.  ^,    .    „     „    •    •     u-     i? 

But  again,  we  would  ask,  where  is  Christ?  He  is  in  his  Fa- 
ther's house  of  many  mansions,  preparing  a  home,-—a  blessed 
habitation  in  heaven  for  his  children,  where  they  may  be  with 
him,  that  they  may  behold  his  glory.  ^    .    ,, 

Then,  since  his  followers  are  to  be  with  him  where  he  is,  they 
shall  be  in  the  Father's  house~-in  that  place  prepared  for  them 
by  Christ  where  they  shall  behold  his  glory. 

Again,  where  is  Christ?  He  sits  gloriously  exalted  at  the 
right  hand  of  the  majesty  on  high,  "ife  was  received  up  into 
heaven,  and  sat  on  the  right  hand  of  God:''  he  "25  even  at  the 
right  hand  of  God."  Saith  the  apostle,  and  he  Hlso  maketh 
intercession  for  us."  ''Seek  those  things  which  are  above,  where 
Christ  sitteth  on  the  right  hand  of  God."  He,  Heing  the  bright- 
ness of  his"  Father's  ''glory,  and  the  express  image  of  his  person, 
and  upholding  all  things  by  the  word  of  his  power,  when  he  had 
by  himself  purged  our  sins,  set  down  at  the  right  hand  of  the 
Majesty  on  high."  Christ  is  also  seated  on  his  Father's  throne, 
and  saith  he,  "To  him  that  overcometh  will  I  grant  to  sit  with 
me  in  my  throne,  even  as  I  also  overcame,  and  am  set  down  with 
my  Father  in  his  throne." 

Then  if  Christ's  ransomed  followers,  are  to  be  with  him 
where  he  is;  they  shall  be  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  and  shall 
Bit  with  him  on  his  throne,  as  he  has  sat  with  his  Father  upon 
his  throne. 

Where  is  Christ?  Where  he  was  from  all  eternity — in  the 
bosom  of  his  Father.  "No  man  hath  seen  God  at  any  time;  the 
only  begotten  Son  which  is  in  the  bossom  of  the  Father,  he  hath 


422  FUNKRAI.    SERMOJf. 

declared  him.''''  And  if  Christ  is  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father, 
all  his  blood  bought  followers  shall  be  in  his  bosom  also;  for 
where  Christ  is,  they  shall  be,  and  there  shall  behold  his  glory. 

We  come  now  to  speak  of  the  most  difficult  part  of  the  sub- 
ject: to  speak  of  the  employment  of  the  blessed  inhabitants  of 
the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  viz:  Beholding  Christ'' s  glory.  Were 
the  tallest  archangel  to  come  down  from  the  heaven  of  heavens — 
were  Enoch  who  has  near  six  thousand  years  experience  of  it, 
to  descend  from  his  shinning  seat — or  a  beloved  John  or  glori- 
fied Paul, — I  have  no  doubt,  but  they  would  tell  us  that  created 
language  is  too  feeble,  too  barren  to  express  the  ten  thousandth 
part  of  the  boundless  glories  and  blessedness,  of  the  heavenly 
state. 

To  see  God,  and  to  behold  his  glory,  is,  of  all  ideas,  the  most 
horrid  to  the  wicked;  for  it  implies  the  most  inconceivable  ag- 
gravation of  misery.  So,  unhappy  Balaam,  when  he  speaks 
prophetically  of  the  unspeakable  glories  of  the  Messiah,  in  the 
most  pitiable  language  describes  his  own  deplorable  fate,  "/ 
shall  see  hi??i,  but  not  now;  I  shall  behold  hhn,  but  not  nigh.''^  And 
we  are  told,  that  the  rich  man  in  hell  '"'•lifted  vp  his  eyes^  being 
in.  torments^  and  seeth  Abraham  afar  off.,  and  Lazarus  in  his  bosom,'''' 
Afar  off — away,  beyond  the  impassable  gulf.  O  what  an  aggra- 
vation of  his  torments! 

But,  seeing  God — seeing  Christ  and  beholding  his  glory, — 
when  applied  to  the  righteous,  always  includes  the  possession 
and  enjoyment  of  the  sum  of  blessedness.  So  our  Lord  says, 
'■'•Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart,  for  they  shall  see  God.''''  Without 
holiness,  ''^no  man^''  saith  the  appostle,  ^^shall  see  the  Lord;''' 
which  implies  that  the  soul  possessed  of  it,  shall  see  and  enjoy 
God  as  an  infinite  portion.  Then,  to  be  with  Christ  where  he 
is,  and  behold  his  glory,  implies — the  essence  and  enjoyment  of 
boundless,  eternal  and  unspeakable  blessedness.  But  what  is 
Christ's  glory?  What  is  the  glory  of  God?  It  is  the  aggregate 
of  all  the  divine  attributes — of  all  the  infinitely  amiable  beau- 
ties and  perfections  of  the  Godhead. 

Moses  prayed.  Lord,  ^^I beseech  thee,  shew  me  thy  glory.''''  The 
Lord  granted  his  prayer  and  shewed  him  his  glory — giving  him 
a  distinct  view  of  his  attributes,  and  the  moral  excellencies  of 
his  unbounded  perfections.  And  the  Lord  said,  "I  will  make 
all  my  goodness  pass  before  thee,  and  I  will  proclaim  the  name 
of  the  Lord  before  thee;  and  will  be  gracious,  to  whom  I  will 
be  gracious;  and  will  shew  mercy,  on  whom  I  will  shew  mercy." 
"Thou  canst  not  see  my  face;  for  there  shall  no  man  see  me 
and  live."  "Behold  there  is  a  place  by  me,  and  thou  shalt  stand 
upon  a  rock;  and  it  shall  come  to  pass,  while  my  glory  passeth 
by,  that  I  will  put  thee  in  a  cleft  of  the  rock,  and  I  will  cover 


FU?<ERAL    StRMO^'.  523 

thee  with  my  hand  while  I  pass  by;  and  I  will  take  away  mine 
hand,  and  thou  shalt  see  my  back  parts;  but  my  face  shall  not 
be  seen."  And  when  on  Mount  Sinai  ''the  Lord  descended 
in  the  cloud  and  stood  with  him  there,  and  proclaimed  the  name 
of  the  Lord.  And  the  Lord  passed  by  before  him  and  proclaim- 
ed, The  Lord,  the  Lord  God  merciful  and  gracious,  long  suf- 
fering and  abundant  in  goodness  and  truth,  keeping  mercy  for 
thousands,  for  giving  iniquity,  and  transgression,  and  sin,  and  that 
will  by  no  means  clear  the  guilty;  visiting  the  iniquity  of  the 
fathers  upon  the  children  and  upon  the  children's  children  unto 
the  third  and  to  the  fourth  generation." 

The  ransomed  followers  of  Jesus,  that  are  with  Christ  where  he 
is,  like  Moses,  they  are  in  the  cleft  of  the  rock:  but  it  is  the 
wide  cleft  of  the  rock  of  ages, — the  Rock  which  was  cleft  by 
the  heavy  strokes  of  almighty  and  inflexible  justice,  when  the 
immeasurable  scheme  of  salvation  and  eternal  life,  burst  from 
the  breaking  heart  of  the  dying  Jesus.  That  which  they  f^njoy 
is  not  a  view  of  the  back  parts  but  an  eternal  broad  sight,  of  all 
the  ineffable  beauties  of  his  face.  They  are  with  Christ  where 
he  is,  and  they  behold  his  glory  in  the  brightness  of  its  meridian 
splendor. 

1st.  All  the  sweet  names  or  divine  characters  by  which  he 
manifested  the  glory  ;ind  beauty  of  his  attributes  to  them  while 
here  in  this  drean  wilderness,  shall  then  be  known  and  under- 
stood in  all  their  glory  and  excellency,  "I  am,  that  I  am"— 
which  denotes  eternal,  self  existence- — and  the  eternity  and  un- 
changeability  of  his  essence.  "Jehovah" — which  represents 
his  incontroUable  sovereignty,  his  independence,  his  infinity,  an(3 
his  incomprehensible  glory.  "Im.^ianukl" — God  with  us,  or  God 
in  human  flesh— -which  qualifies  him  to  be  the  Redeemer  and 
complete  Saviour  of  poor,  lost  sinners;  the  central  point  on 
whicli  all  the  attributes  of  God  meet  and  agree,  in  the  pardon, 
justitication  and  eternal  blessedness  of  guilty,  hell-deserving 
rebels.  And  he  is  at  the  same  time,  the  sweet  medium  through 
which  a  just  and  holy  God,  and  pardoned  rebels  can  meet  and 
hold  sweet  communion  and  fellowship  together.  ^'•Jesus^"'  a 
Saviour  from  sin — ^^Christ,'^  the  anointed  of  the  Father  chosen 
and  set  apart  for  the  express  purpose  of  saving  lost  sinners. 

O  how  sweet!  how  soul  delighting!  Yea,  sweeter  than  the 
music  of  heaven,  do  these  names  often  sound  in  the  ears  of  par- 
doned and  believing  sinners,  in  this  vale  of  tears,  when  they 
get  near  to  God,  and  can  by  faith  behold  his  glory  in  the  face 
of  Jesus.  Then  they  can  say  in  the  language  of  the  divine 
Spirit,  ^'The  name  of  the  Lord  is  a  strong  tower''''  —'-'an  ointment 
poured  forth'''' — or  as  Elizabeth  Rowe  expresses  it,-  — 


424  FUNERAL    SERMON. 

"Sweet  name  in  thy  each  syllable 
A  thousand  bless'd  Arabias  dwell : 
Mountains  of  myrrh  and  beds  of  spices, 
And  ten  thousand  Paradises." 

What  then  must  be  the  glory  and  unutterable  beauty,  which 
will  appear  forever  unveiled  in  each  of  these  names,  to  all  the 
ransomed  millions  that  be  with  Christ  where  he  is!  How  will 
all  his  glorious  characters  sound  upon  their  golden  harps,  fill 
their  loud  songs  of  praise,  and  communicate  ten  thousand  joys 
to  their  souls. 

2nd.  The  children  of  Christ,  as  they  will  be  with  him  where 
he  is  beholding  his  glory,  will  no  doubt  have  the  most  complete 
and  perfect  knowledge  of  all  the  mysterious  works  of  God,  in 
creation  and  providence.  A  knowledge  of  the  infinite  beeuty 
and  glory,  and  perfection  of  the  divine  attributes,  will  be  exhib- 
ited in  the  works  and  ways  of  God  to  man — and  the  soul  will 
be  wrapped  in  contemplation  of  the  goodness,  justice,  and  mer- 
cy of  the  Great  Eternal.  And  as  the  happiness  of  the  heav- 
enly state  will  be  so  complete,  that  no  species  of  knowledge, 
no  degree  of  enjoyment,  can  be  wanting  to  consummate  the  bles- 
sedness of  the  glorified  saints  above,  we  may  with  propriety  sup- 
pose, that  their  capacities  will  be  so  expanded,  and  their  knowl- 
edge so  extended,  that  the  most  feeble  member  of  the  church 
triumphant  above — the  weakest  infant  or  the  most  illiterate  man 
or  w^oman  who  has  entered  the  pearly  gates  of  the  New  Jerusa- 
lem, through  the  blood  and  atonement  of  Christ,  will  be  able 
to  comprehend  all  the  laws  and  phenomena  of  the  natural 
world,  far  beyond  the  deepest  researches,  and  investigations  of 
the  most  accomplished  philosophers  of  the  earth  and  will  as  far 
outstrip  them  in  knowledge,  as  Newton  does  the  illiterate  peas- 
ant. 

3rd.  As  they  are  with  Christ  where  he  is,  beholding  his  glo- 
ry, contemplating  the  infinite  beauty  and  excellence  of  the  di- 
vine attributes,  no  doubt  but  the  mysterious  wonders  of  Provi- 
dence, since  creation,  with  regard  to  the  church  of  God,  and 
with  regard  to  every  individual  Christian  who  has  been  pardoned 
and  justified  through  the  blood  of  Christ,  and  prepared  by  his 
Spirit  for  the  enjoyment  of  the  Celestial  Paradise,  will  afford 
through  the  ceaseless  ages  of  eternity,  the  most  astonishing  ex- 
hibitions of  the  divine  glory. 

The  providence  of  God  with  respect  to  the  church  from  the 
creation  of  the  world  to  the  consummation  of  all  things,  when 
every  elect  soul  is  gathered  home — when  the  glorious  plan  of 
redemption  is  closed — and  all  Jehovah's  eternal  designs  of  mer- 
cy are  completed — will  doubtless  exhibit  the  most  astonishing 
system  which  ever  adoring  worlds  beheld.  '^ 


FUNERAL    SBRMON.  425 

Earth  and  hell,  men  and  devils,  have  combined  for  the  des- 
truction of  the  church  from  age  to  age  since  time  began — yet 
it  is  like  the  burning  bush,  which  Moses  saw  always  in  the 
flames,  but  never  consumed.  The  rage  and  fury  of  devils  is  so 
overruled  by  intinite  wisdom,  that  all  things  in  the  event  turn 
out  for  the  prosperity  of  Christ's  mediatorial  kingdom.  Though 
the  heathen  rage,  and  the  people  imagine  a  vein  thing — though 
the  kings  of  the  earth  set  themselves,  and  the  rulers  take  coun- 
sel together  against  the  Lord  and  against' his  anointed— although 
the  world  is  overturned  by  a  Nebuchadnezzer,  a  Cyrus,  and  an 
Alexander,  yet  all  things  go  directly  forward  in  the  purpose  of 
God  for  the  salvation  of  the  church.  The  Jews  and  Romans 
combine,  and  crucify  the  Son  of  God;  but  all  they  accomplish 
by  this  act  of  wickedness,  was  the  destruction  of  the  Devil's 
empire,  and  the  salvation  of  a  lost  world.  Though  the  Roman 
Empire,  by  ten  successive  persecutions,  attempts  the  final  des- 
truction of  the  church,  yet  it  must  be  acknowledged,  that  the 
blood  of  the  martyrs,  is  the  seed  of  the  church;  for  the  more 
they  are  slaughtered,  the  more  do  their  numbers  increase.  In 
a  word,  all  the  events  of  time,  the  revolutions  of  nations,  and 
the  rise  and  fall  of  empires,  have  been  and  will  yet  be,  direc- 
ted to  the  accomplishment  of  God's  eternal  purposes  of  wisdom, 
love  and  mercy  to  his  church. 

When  this  heaven  astonishing  system  is  unveiled  in  the  Para- 
dise of  God  to  all  the  humble  followers  of  Jesus,  who  are  with 
Christ  where  he  is  and  beholding  his  glory^,  what  new  wonders 
and  unfathomable  glories  must,  through  eternity,  strike  their 
adoring  eyes,  and  fill  their  hearts  with  joy  praise  and  adora- 
tion! 

But  again — In  this  grand  system  of  Providence  to  the  church, 
with  respect  to  every  pardoned,  justified  believer,  who  ever  has 
or  ever  shall  enter  the  New  Jerusalem,  there  are  so  many  dis- 
tinct mysteries  and  Godlike  systems  of  Providence — and  in  all 
these  systems  are  exhibited  so  many  mysterious  designs  of  infin- 
ite wisdom — all  the  purposes  of  God's  everlasting  love,  and  all 
his  gracious  designs  in  all  their  afflictions,  trials  and  tribulations, 
in  fitting  and  preparing  their  souls  for  eternal  glory, — will  be 
unveiled  and  laid  open  to  the  people  of  God,  when  they  are 
with  Christ  and  beholding  his  glory.  Then  they  shall  perfectly 
understand  the  reasons  why  the  Lord  led  them  in  a  way  which 
they  knew  not — then  shall  they  know  how  all  things  worked 
together  for  their  good — how  all  their  losses,  afflictions,  woes 
and  sorrows,  were  prepared  and  directed  by  unerring  wisdom, 
to  fit  them  as  so  many  vessels  of  mercy  to  be  filled  and  to  over- 
flow with  inexpressible  delight — there  they  will  acknowledge, 
that  there  was  not  one  painful  dispensation  of  Providence,  which 
they  could  have  done  without. 


426  FUNKRAL    SERMON. 

4th.  In. the  glorious  work  of  redemption,  they  sliall  have  tiie 
brightest  and  most  unparalled  exhibition  of  the  divine  glory. 
Here  God,  in  the  person  of  his  Son,  has  outdone,  all  his  might- 
iest works.  Here  adoring  angels  and  archangels  are  represent- 
ed as  stooping  down,  with  outstretched  necks,  and  desiring  to 
look  into  the  indescribable  wonders  which  it  contains.  Here  the 
redeemed  millions,  whilst  they  enjoy  the  most  perfect  and  com- 
plete view  of  the  infinite  beauties  and  glories  that  shine  in  the  love- 
ly faceof  Immanuel — while  they  stand  and  gaze,  and  wonder,  and 
adore,  beholding  the  immeasurable  height  and  depth,  and  length 
and  breadth  of  the  boundless  love  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus — that 
love  which  is  as  long  as  eternity — higher  than  the  highest  heav- 
ens— deep  as  the  helpless  misery  and  wretchedness  of  our  na- 
ture— and  broad  and  boundless  as  the  Being,  essence  and  attributes 
of  God, — are  overwhelmed  and  lost  in  an  infinite  ocean  of  bles- 
sedness. And  whilst  they  cast  their  glitlering  crowns  before  the 
throne,  they  sink  into  nothing  before  the  Eternal  All. 

The  more  his  glories  strike  their  eyes, 

The  humbler  they  mast  lie; 
Thus,  while  they  sink,  their  joy  must  rise 

Immeasurably  high. 

5th.  But  to  close  the  subject:  Christ's  blood-bought  followers 
must  be  forever  blessed.  They  shall  be  eternally  with  him  where 
he  is,  and  forever  behold  his  glory.  And  what  must  the  blessed 
consequence  be?  To  what  must  their  blessedness  arrive  at 
last?  Surely  none  can  tell.  Neither  men,  or  angels  can  de- 
scribe how  holy,  how  happy,  how  nearly  like  God  they  will 
become  at  last.  As  we  have  already  observed,  one  faith's  view 
of  the  glory  of  God  in  Christ,  communieates  spiritual  and  eter- 
nal life  to  the  soul  that  is  '•'•dead  in  trespasses  and  sms''' — changes 
the  sinner  black  as  hell,  and  as  deformed  as  the  Devil,  from  glo- 
ry to  glory,  into  the  image  of  God;  and  the  more  of  these  views 
the  believing  soul  enjoys,  the  more  he  is  like  Christ.  Well,  what 
will  be  the  effect,  to  behold  the  meridian  brightness  of  his  glory 
without  a  dimming  veil  between,  or  an  interveniiig  cloud, 
throughout  the  ceaseless  ages  of  eternity? 

The  human  mind  is  capable  of  endless  improvement.  A  child 
put  to  school  in  his  alphabet,  to  continue  for  thirty  years,  will 
drink  in  all  the  scientific  knowledge  of  the  schools.  According 
to  his  application,  his  mind  expands  and  his  knowledge  increas- 
es, until  he  becomes  the  wonder  of  his  fellow  men.  Then,  what 
must  be  the  improvement  of  holy,  happy  beings  in  Paradise? 
What  must  be  their  knowledge  of  God,  and  their  likeness  to  him 
at  last,  when  they  are  eternally  with  Christ  where  he  is,  and  be- 
holding his  glory — constantly  discovering  new  wonders  in  the 
unfathonable  glories  of  the  Godhead — tlicir  capacities  eternally 
expanding,  while  their  knowledge  of  God  and  their  views  of  the 


FUNER4L    SERMON.  427 

divine  glories  are  increasing  and  daily  becoming  brighter?  Cer- 
tainly, they  must  be  through  all  eternity  approaching  nearer  to  a 
oneness  with  God. 

III.  We  are  now  to  make  some  application  of  the  subject. 

From  what  has  been  said,  we  infer,  that  death  is  an  unspeak- 
able blessing  to  those  who  die  in  the  Lord;  yea,  the  Spirit  of 
God  hath  declared,  '-''Blessed  are  the  dead  which  die  in  the  Loj'd.^^ 
During  their  stay  in  this  howling  wilderness — in  this  wretched 
abode  of  misery,  pardoned  and  justified  souls,  are  far  from  their 
God — they  feel  themselves  strangers  and  pilgrims  in  this  world; 
but  when  death  comes,  they  vievv^  themselves,  as  just  going  to 
the  rest  that  remains  for  the  people  of  God — just  going  to  take 
possession  of  that  kingdom  prepared  for  them  from  before  the 
foundation  of  the  world — of  an  inheritance  incorruptible,  unde- 
filed  and  that  never  fades  away. 

Death  from  all  death  has  set  them  free, 
And  will  their  gain  forever  be : 
Death  loosed  the  massy  chains  of  woe, 
To  let  the  mournful  captives  go. 

Death  is  to  them  a  sweet  repose. 
The  bud  was  oped  to  show  the  rose : 
The  cage  is  broke  to  let  them  fly, 
And  build  their  happy  nest  on  high. 

Lo,  there  they  do  triumphant  reign, 
And  joyful  sing  in  lofty  strain; 
Lo,  there  they  rest,  and  love  to  be, 
Enjoying  more  than  faith  can  see. 

The  thousandeth  part  they  now  behold, 
By  mortal  tongues  was  never  told : 
They  got  a  taste — but  now  above 
They  forage  in  the  fields  of  love. 

What,  though  their  pale  and  ghastly  bodies  must  lie  and  moul- 
der in  the  grave,  and  though  after  their  skin,  the  worms  shall 
destroy  their  bodies;  yet  in  their  flesh  they  shall  see  God;  for 
the  Spirit  hath  spoken  it — '"'•Them  also  that  sleep  in.  Jesus  will 
God  bring  with  him.''''  Yes,  the  same  bodies  which  were  laid  in 
the  graves,  shall  spring  from  their  dusty  tombs  at  the  sound  of 
the  archangel's  trumpet,  beautiful,  formed  and  fashioned  like 
Christ's  glorious  body.  They  shall  hear  the  Almighty  Jesus, 
the  eternal  Judge  of  quick  and  dead,  from  his  great  white  throne 
of  fiery  flame,  pronounce  the  joyful  sentence — ''''Come  ye  blessed 
of  my  Father^  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  the  foun- 
dation of  the  worW  They  shall  go  home  with  Christ  to  his 
Father's  house :  there  they  shall  be  ever  with  Christ  where  he 
is — and  to  all  eternity  shall  behold  his  glorv. 

54 


428  FUNUnA.1.    SKRMOK. 

Why  should  we  mourn  departed  friends, 

Or  shake  at  death's  alarms  ? 
'Tis  but  the  voice  that  Jesus  sends, 

To  call  them  to  his  arms. 

Why  should  we  tremble  to  convey 

Their  bodies  to  the  tomb? 
There  the  dear  flesh  of  Jesus  lay. 

And  left  a  long  perfume. 

The  graves  of  all  the  saints  he  blessed, 

And  softened  every  bed. 
Where  should  the  dying  members  rest, 

But  with  their  dying  head? 

2d.  From  what  has  been  said  we  infer,  the  final  perseverance 
of  the  saints — the  absolute  impossibility  of  any  of  Christ's  blood- 
bought  children  ever  falling  from  grace  into  a  state  of  condem- 
nation. Christ's  last  prayer  assures  them  of  complete  redemp- 
tion. The  divine  Spirit  tells  us,  that  ^^whom  he  did  predestinate, 
them  he  also  called^  and  whom  he  called^  them  he  also  justijied; 
and  whom  he  justified,  them  he  also  glorijied.^^ 

The  power  of  an  infinite  God  must  fail,  it  must  be  defeated  by 
a  superior  power,  which  is  impossible,  before  his  eternal  designs 
of  mercy  can  be  disappointed.  He  it  is  who  hath  said — *^All 
that  the  Father giveth  me,  shall  come  to  me  f  '•''My  sheep  hear  my 
voice,  and  I  know  them,  and  they  follow  me;  and  I  give  unto  them 
eternal  life;  and  they  shall  never  perish,  neither  shall  any  pluck 
them  out  of  my  hand;  my  Father,  which  gave  them  me,  is  greater 
than  all;  and  none  is  able  to  pluck  them  out  of  my  Father  s  hand.'''' 
And  upon  the  principles  of  law  and  justice,  he  prays  for  their 
complete  glorification;  and  the  Father  hath  heard  and  answered 
him;  and  therefore  their  eternal  blessedness  is  certain. 

3d.  From  this  subject  we  may  infer,  the  unspeakable  misery 
and  inconceivable  horror,  and  dreadful  torment,  that  await  the 
finally  impenitent  sinner:  those  that  die  out  of  Christ — who  have 
no  interest  in  his  merits  and  atonement — who  have  rejected  the 
last  ofters  of  mercy,  and  despised  the  only  plan  of  salvation  which 
infinite  goodness  has  provided.  They  have  Hrodden  underfoot 
the  Son  of  God,''''  and  have  '''•counted  the  blood  of  the  covenant, 
wherewith''''  they  were  ^''sanctified,  an  unholy  thing,''''  and  have 
^^done  despite  unto  the  Spirit  of  grace  :^''  and  the  truth  of  God  is 
engaged  for  their  everlasting  destruction — and  all  the  attributes 
of  God  are  pledged  to  banish  them  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord 
and  the  glory  of  his  power.  Therefore,  where  God  and  his 
Christ  are  they  never  can  come. 

"My  thoughts  on  awful  subjects  roll, 

Damnation  and  the  dead : 
What  horrors  seize  the  guilty  soul 

Upon  a  dying  bed ! 


PUNIRAL    SERMON.  429 

Ling'ring  about  these  mortal  shores, 

She  makes  a  long  delay ; 
Till,  like  a  flood  with  iTipid  force, 

Death  sweeps  the  wretch  away. 

Then,  swift  and  dreadful  she  descends 

Down  to  the  fiery  coast, 
Amongst  abominable  fiends — 

Herself  a  frightful  ghost. 

There  endless  crowds  of  sinners  lie, 

And  darkness  makes  their  chains; 
Tortur'd  with  keen  despair,  they  cry, 

Yet  wait  for  fiercer  pains. 

Not  all  their  anguish  and  their  blood 

For  their  own  guilt  atones. 
Nor  the  compassion  of  a  God 

Shall  hearken  to  their  groans." 

4th.  This  subject  we  may  improve  for  the  comfort  and  con- 
solation of  all  Christ's  humble  followers  upon  earth,  who  have 
entered  the  strait  gate  of  conversion,  and  are  walking  the  narrow 
way  to  Immanuel's  land. 

You  are  bound  for  Canaan — you  are  travelling  home  to  God 
— you  are  in  your  journey  to  your  Father's  house.  Is  your 
way  thorny  and  difficult?  Have  you  to  wrestle  with  princi- 
palities and  powers,  and  fight  your  way  to  heaven  inch  by  inch? 
Are  your  crosses,  afflictions  and  trials,  almost  intolerable?  Well, 
my  dear  friends,  your  heavenly  Father  knows  what  is  best  for 
you.  You  must  be  hewed  and  polished  before  you  are  fit  fo  • 
the  heavenly  building.  The  vessels  of  mercy  must  be  rubbed 
and  brightened  before  they  will  be  fit  furniture  for  the  Father's 
house,  or  before  you  are  qualified  to  be  filled  with  eternal  and 
never  fading  glory.  Rejoice,  for  your  trying  time  is  short — you 
will  soon  be  at  the  end  of  your  race-^you  will  soon  be  at  home 
in  your  heavenly  Father's  house — and  one  moment  with  Christ 
where  he  is,  beholding  his  glory,  will  make  you  forget  all  the 
years  of  your  weeping  and  mourning.  But  do  you  say  your 
case  is  a  singular  one;  that  the  Lord  has  dealt  hardly  with  you; 
a  beloved  husband,  or  darling  wife,  or  sweet  smiling  babe  has 
been  snatched  away  by  death,  from  your  fond  embrace? 

However  trying  this  may  be  to  fond  nature,  yet  remember  it 
is  your  Father's  will.  Be  still  and  know  that  he  is  God.  Have 
you  a  comfortable  hope  for  your  dear  departed  friend?  Then, 
consider  your  loss  as  their  unspeakable  gain. — If  they  are  with 
Christ,  their  situation  is  ten  thousand  times  preferable  to  what  it 
was  with  you.  Christ  is  finishing  the  place  which  he  has  been 
preparing  for  his  blood  bought  family.  He  is  bringing  the  ves- 
sels of  mercy  home,  just  when  he  has  thera  prepared ;  and  O, 


430  FUNERAL    SERMON. 

will  not  heaven  be  still  the  sweeter  to  you,  when  your  dearest 
part  is  gone  there  before  you! 

5th.  From  what  has  been  said,  let  me  entreat  you  often  to 
walk  up  to  the  banks  of  Jordon ;  often  to  have  Christ  the  hope 
of  immortal  glory  jn  your  souls;  off  en  converse  with  death; 
often  take  a  Pisgah's  view  of  the  heavenly  Paradise,  keep  your 
souls  habitually  comfortable  and  happy:  and  when  you  die,  you 
shall  be  with  Christ  where  he  is,  and  shall  forever  behold  his 
glory. 

"On  Jordon's  stormy  banks,  I  stand 

And  cast  a  wishful  eye 
To  Canaan's  fair  and  happy  land, 

Where  my  possessions  he. 
O,  the  transporting,  rapturous  scene, 

That  rises  to  my  sight!  ' 

Sweet  fields  arrayed  in  Uving  green 

And  rivers  of  delight. 

There  generous  fruits  that  never  fail 

On  trees  immortal  grow ; 
There  rocks,  and  hills,  and  brooks,  and  vales, 

With  milk  and  honey  flow. 
All  o'er  those  wide  extended  plains. 

Shines  one  eternal  day : 
There  God,  the  Son,  forever  reigns, 

And  scatters  night  away. 

No  chilling  winds,  nor  pois'nous  breath, 

Can  reach  that  healthful  shore ; 
Sickness  and  sorrow,  pain  and  death, 

Arc  felt  and  feared  no  more. 
When  shall  I  reach  that  happy  place 

And  be  forever  blessed? 
When  shall  I  see  my  Father's  face 

And  in  his  bosom  rest? 

Filled  with  delight,  my  rapturous  soul 

Can  here  no  longer  stay ; 
Though  Jordon's  waves  around  me  roll, 

Fearless  I'd  launch  away. 
There,  on  those  high  and  flow'ry  plains. 

My  spirit  ne'er  shall  tire ; 
But  in  perpetual,  heavenly  strains, 

Redeeming  love  admire." 


SERMON  XXXVIIl. 

FAST  DAY  SERMON, 

PREACHED    DURING  THE  LATE  WAR  WITH  ENGLAND. 


^^Sanctify  ye  afast^  call  a  solemn  assembly^  gather  the  elders, 
and  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  land  into  the  house  of  the  Lord  your 
God,  and  cry  unto  the  Lord.''''     Joel  i.  14. 

If  we  will  glance  over  the  history  of  the  Church  in  all  ages 
of  the  world,  we  will  discover  that  fasting  and  prayer  have  been 
the  means  to  which  the  people  of  God  have  resorted,  that  they 
might  cast  themselves  upon  his  protection,  and  obtain  from  his 
Omnipotent  Arm  deliverencein  times  of  public  judgments,  and 
of  great  national  calamity. 

When  Joel  prophesied,  the  fearful  calamities  and  terrible 
judgments  of  an  offended  God  were  just  ready  to  fall  upon  the 
Jewish  nation,  and  threatened  nothing  less  than  inevitable  des- 
truction. But  in  the  words  of  the  text,  the  prophet  directs 
them  to  means,  the  most  rational  and  the  most  likely,  by  which 
they  might  avert  the  impending  stroke.  This  was  to  cast  them- 
selves upon  the  mercy  of  God,  by  solemn  fasting  and  importu- 
nate prayer.  ^^Sancitify  ye  a  fast,  call  a  solemn  assembly,  gather 
the  elders  and  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  land  into  the  house  of  the 
Lord  your  God,  and  cry  unto  the  Lord.'''' 

The  duty  enjoined,  is  comprised  in  several  parts  conjointly. 
1st.  '•''Sanctify  ye  a/a^^."— -That  is,  appoint  a  fast— set  apart 
a  day  for  that  purpose.  Observe  it  with  humility,  with  solem- 
nity and  sincerity. — By  abstaining  from  the  lawful  comforts  of 
life,  you  will  see  your  entire  dependence  upon  God  as  his  crea- 
tures. 

2nd.  ''^ Call  a  solemn  assembly.''''  On  this  day  of  fasting  and 
humiliation,  let  the  people  be  collected  together,  and  unite 
their  prayers  and  supplications  before  a  merciful,  prayer  hear- 
ing God. 

3rd.  Let  this  solemn  assembly  be  composed  of  all  classessand 
characters,  who  are  in  need  of  divine  mercy  and  divine  bless- 
ings.    ^^Gather  the  elders  and  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  land.'''' 


482  FAST    DAT    SERMON. 

In  the  present  day  the  word  elders  signifies,  generally,  the 
officers  of  the  church;  but  in  early  ages,  in  the  Old  Testament 
dispensation,  and  in  our  text,  it  signifies  the  leading  characters 
of  the  nation  both  in  church  and  state:  it  signifies  all  civil, mili- 
tary and  ecclesiastical  officers.  Let  all  such,  with  all  the  inhab- 
itants of  the  land,  assemble  together,  to  fast  and  humble  them- 
selves before  God. 

4th.  Let  them  meet  in  the  house  of  the  Lord  their  God. 
Among  the  Jews  the  house  of  the  Jiord,  the  place  of  meeting 
for  prayer  and  humiliation,  was  the  'iemple.  In  the  gospel  day, 
it  is  any  and  every  place  appointed  for  divine  w^orship. 

5th.  We  have  the  important  purpose  of  this  meeting  together 
for  fasting,  prayer  and  humiliation  before  God.  "'Cr?/  unto  the 
Lord;'"'  call  upon  his  holy  name,  in  importunate  prayer,  for  par- 
don, for  help  and  deliverance.  Viewing  the  situation  of  our 
country  at  the  present  time,  involved  in  a  war  with  a  powerful, 
treacherous  and  bloody  enemy— -our  frontiers  exposed  to  the 
ravages  of  their  murdering  alHes,  the  blood  thirsty  savages  of 
the  forest — and  at  the  present  moment,  when  an  army  of  brave 
men  has  betn  betrayed  into  the  hands  of  our  enemy  by  a  traitor, 
by  which,  thousands  of  innocent  females  and  helpless  infants  are 
exposed  to  the  tomahawk  and  scalping  knife  of  the  united  bands 
of  British  and  Indians,-- -it  surely  is  a  period  when  he  should 
sanctify  a  fast,  call  a  solemn  assembly,  and  cry  mightily  to  God 
for  help  and  deliverance. 

Thousands  of  brave,  patriotic  citizens,  have  left  their  homes, 
their  wives,  their  children  and  all  that  is  dear  to  them,  to  stand 
upon  the  bloody  field,  to  fight  the  battles  of  their  injured  coun- 
try, to  purchase  liberty  and  independence,  for  their  offspring 
with  their  blood.  And  are  we  not  bound  by  every  endearing 
tie  and  solemn  obligation,  to  fast,  and  pray,  and  cry  mightily  to 
God,  for  their  protection,  for  their  success,  for  their  return  to 
their  families  and  friends  crowned  with  victory  and  triumph. 

In  further  attending  to  this  subject,  we  shall— 

I.  Attempt  to  shew  the  propriety  of  a  nation,  the  church  of 
Christ,  Christian  families  and  individuals,  uniting  as  one  man  in 
fasting,  prating,  and  crying  to  God  for  the  deliverance  of  their 
country  in  times  of  great  national  distress  and  calamity. 

II.  Show  from  examples  and  the  promises  of  scripture,  the 
encouragement  God  has  given  his  people,  to  seek  for  help  and 
deliverance  by  fasting  and  prayer. 

III.  Mention  a  few  things  necessary  to  perform  this  national 
duty  in  a  manner  acceptable  to  God. 

I.  We  are  to  attempt  to  show  the  propriety  of  a  nation,  the 
Church  of  Christ,  Christian  families,  and  individuals,  meeting  as 
one  man  in  fasting,  praying  and  crying  to  God  for  the  deliver- 


FAST    DAY    SERMON.  433 

ance  of  their  country  in  times  of  great  national  distress  and  ca- 
lamity. 

By  meeting  together  in  importunate  prayer  and  fasting  in 
times  of  war  and  other  public  calamities,  the  nation  is  brought 
into  effective  measures,  to  obtain  the  common  deliverance. 

The  body  politic  like  the  human  body,  is  composed  of  many 
members,  all  useful  in  their  respective  stations,  and  conduce  to 
the  general  good,  in  the  same  manner  as  the  eye,  the  ear,  the 
hand,  and  the  feet  contribute  to  the  welfare  of  the  body. 

At  the  present  crisis,  there  are  thousands  who  cannot  turn  out 
like  heroic  volunteers,  to  fight  the  battles  of  their  country. 
Aged  fathers  in  the  decline  of  life,  are  inadequate  to  the  task — 
the  tender  females  are  by  nature  disqualified  for  it;  yet  they  can 
do  as  much  for  the  salvation  of  the  country  as  the  bold  and  un- 
daunted soldi<:'r.  By  fasting  and  prayer,  they  can  draw  down 
the  blessings  of  heaven  upon  their  fellow  citizens  who  have 
gone  forth  to  battle;  by  the  prayer  of  faith  they  can  plead  with 
a  prayer  hearing  God,  to  extend  his  protecting  care  over  them; 
by  the  prayer  of  faith  they  can  ask  for  the  wisdom  of  God  to 
direct  all  the  military  operations  and  crown  them  with  success, 
with  victory,  and  final  deliverance  of  their  country  and  God 
has  assured  us  that  if  they  ask  these  things  in  the  name  of  Je- 
sus, he  will  hear  them  and  grant  them  a  gracious  answer  to 
their  prayers. — And  when  the  prayer  hearing  God  appears  for 
our  deliverance,  when  the  Lord  of  hosts,  the  God  of  Israel  goes 
forth  with  our  armies,  victory  and  triumph  are  the  sure  conse- 
quences. Therefore  the  aged  christian,  tottering  on  the  brink 
of  the  grave,  and  the  timid  female,  by  faithful  prayer,  may  be 
as  profitable  to  their  country  in  war,  as  the  undaunted  hero 
amid  the  storm  of  battle.  Says  Samuel  Rutherford,  an  eminent 
old  Scottish  divine,  in  one  of  his  sermons,  "The  most  obscure 
female  who  has  an  interest  in  Christ,  can  effect  more  by  the 
prayer  of  faith,  than  a  general  with  an  hundred  thousand  men; 
for,  by  one  act  of  faith  she  can  set  all  the  wheels  of  God's  Om- 
nipotence to  work." 

Fasting,  praying  and  crying  to  the  Lord  for  help  and  deliver- 
ance, is  one  of  the  most  rational  exercises,  in  which  intelligent 
creatures  can  be  engaged.  How  reasonable,  for  a  child  in  ciis- 
tress  to  fly  to  its  parent  for  protection:  how  proper,  for  feeble 
creatures,  to  cry  for  help  from  an  infinite  God,  their  common 
parent,  their  Creator,  their  preserver  and  kind  benefactor.  The 
grand  design  of  heaven  in  instituting  ordinances,  was  to  bring 
God's  intelligent  creatures,  to  feel  their  dependenceupon  him — 
to  know  that  all  help  and  all  deliverance,  every  blessing  and 
every  comfort  they  need,  must  come  from  his  hand.  The  indig- 
nity of  sin  consists  in  a  want  of  reliance  on  God.  The  sinner 
declares  his  independence — he  invades  the  prerogative  of  the 


434  TAST    DAY    SERMON. 

Almighty — and  sets  himself  up  in  place  of  God.  Thus,  he  ex- 
poses himself  to  the  displeasure  of  God  in  this  world,  and  to  the 
vengeance  of  eternal  fire  in  that  which  is  to  come.  But,  by 
deep  humiliation,  fasting  and  earnest  prayer  to  God,  mankind 
are  brought  to  feel  their  dependence  on  him.  There  they  seek 
help  where  it  is  to  be  found;  they  go  to  him  for  deKverence, 
who  is  almighty,  infinite  and  all-sufficient;  and  he  who  measures 
the  ocean  in  the  hollow  of  his  hand,  who  comprehends  the  dust 
of  the  earth  in  a  balance,  who  weighs  the  mountains  in  scales, 
and  the  hills  in  a  balance,  and  takes  up  the  isles  as  a  very  little 
tiling — is  able  to  be  a  Deliverer  and  an  Almighty  friend  in  cases 
the  most  desperate. 

Therefore  when  our  country  is  attacked  by  blood  thirsty  and 
murdering  enemies- — when  the  alarm  of  bloodshed,  slaughter, 
and  war  sounds  on  every  hand, — let  us  with  humility,  with  hum- 
ble prayer  and  genuine  sincerity,  sanctify  a  fast,  call  a  solemn 
assembly,  and  cry  mightily  to  God  for  help  and  deliverence. 

The  scripture  furnishes  us  with  a  variety  of  plain  facts,  in 
which  nations,  and  individuals,  in  war  and  other  public  calami- 
ties have,  by  solemn  fasting,  and  prayer  cried  to  God  for  assis- 
tance, and  the  Lord  who  ever  hears  the  cries  of  the  wretched, 
has  heard  them,  answered  their  prayers,  and  granted  them  de- 
liverance. 

When  the  camp  of  Israel  had  offended  God,  by  the  accursed 
thing  concealed  by  Achan,  and  were  put  to  flight  before  their 
enemies,  Joshua  and  the  people  of  God,  by  fasting,  prayer,  and 
earnest  supplication  at  a  throne  of  grace,  spread  their  case  be- 
fore the  Lord,  and  cried  mightily  to  him  for  pardon  and  salva- 
tion. He  heard  them,  and  when  the  accursed  thing  was  remov- 
ed, he  crowned  them  with  victory  and  success  and  dispersed 
their  enemies  before  them. 

When  Ahab  king  of  Israel,  though  a  wicked  man,  was  terri- 
fied at  the  dreadful  judgments  of  God,  which  were  threatened 
against  him,  and  fasted  and  prayed  and  humbled  himself  before 
God,  the  Lord  declared  to  his  prophet,  that  he  would  not  bring 
those  great  evils  upon  Ahab  in  his  day. 

When  the  Jews  in  the  Persian  Empire  through  the  murderous 
intrigue  of  Haman,  were  devoted  to  destruction,  they  fasted, 
and  prayed,  and  cried  mightily  to  God,  and  cast  themselves  upon 
his  mercy — he  graciously  heard  them  and  sent  them  a  glorious 
deliverance. 

Jehosaphat  king  of  Judah,  was  beset  by  innumerable  and  con- 
fident armies,  and  his  country  threatened  with  ruin.  But  when 
by  solemn  fasting  and  prayer,  he  cast  himself  upon  divine  pro- 
tection, his  enemies  are  dismayed,  confounded,  thrown  into  coh- 
fusion,  and  effect  their  own  destruction. 


FAST    DAY    SERMON.  43S 

When  the  Ninevites  were  allarmed  at  the  dreadful  jndgments 
denounced  by  the  preaching  of  Jonah,  they  proclaimed  a  fast — 
they  observed  it  with  all  possible  strictness — and  besought  the 
Lord  vehemently  for  mercy;  and  what  was  the  consequence? 
Deliverance  comes — the  stroke  of  God's  avenging  rod  is  aver- 
ted. 

II.  Shew  from  examples  and  the  promises  of  scripture,  the 
encouragement  which  God  has  given  his  people,  to  seek  help 
from  him  by  fasting  and  prayer. 

And  in  general  terms  we  would  say,  that  the  testimony  of 
God's  precious  word,  from  beginning  to  end,  clearly  shows,  that 
all  who  seek  deliverance  at  his  hand,  are  sure  to  find  it.  There 
is  not  an  example  in  the  whole  book  of  God,  either  of  a  nation 
or  individual,  who  has  cried  to  the  Lord  in  the  time  of  trouble, 
with  a  fervent  prayer  and  a  sincere  heart,  that  was  ever  rejec- 
ted or  disappointed.  The  examples  already  stated  sufficiently 
prove  this  pleasing  truth.  The  case  of  Jehosaphat  when  attack- 
ed by  the  mvincible  force  of  armies  elated  with  conquest,  is  an 
undeniable  proof.  He  cries  to  the  Lord  by  fasting  and  prayer — 
he  enters  the  field  praising  God,  with  a  firm  reliance  on  the  Al- 
mighty; and  the  Lord  gives  him  victory  and  triumph,  while  ruin 
and  destruction  seize  his  enemies. 

King  Asa  was  attacked  by  an  army  of  a  million  of  men,  with 
the  strongest  military  preparations;  but  when  he  casts  himself 
and  his  country  upon  the  protection  of  his  God,  when  he  encoun- 
ters the  host  with  an  humble  dependence  upon  the  arm  of  Om- 
nipotence, crying  to  God,  "//i  tliy  najne  we  go  against  this  mul- 
titude^'' the  Lord  appears  for  his  deliverance  and  puts  all  his 
enemies  to  flight. 

When  Hezekiah  was  attacked  by  the  mighty  host  of  the  As- 
syrians, who  bade  defiance  to  God  himself,  he  and  Isaiah,  and 
probably  all  the  pious  Jews,  go  to  the  house  of  God,  and  by 
earnest  and  importunate  prayer,  they  lay  their  case  before  the 
Lord;  and  what  is  the  consequence?  The  Lord  God  of  Israel 
appears  to  deliver  them.  By  an  extraordinary  stroke  of  his 
power,  Sennacherib's  mighty  army  is  laid  dead  upon  the  field. 
Oh  what  encouragement  for  America  to  trust  in  God,  and  fast 
and  pray,  and  commit  her  armies  in  all  their  movements  to  the 
care  of  the  Omnipotent  Jehovah! 

But  again,  let  praying  christians  never  fear — let  them  cry  to 
the  Lord:  Jahovah  is  a  prayer  hearing  God.  Joshua  by  the 
pra.yer  of  faith  inverts  the  established  laws  of  nature,  and  stops 
the  sun  and  moon  in  their  courses.  Elijah  by  faithful  prayer 
shuts  the  heavens,  and  no  rain  falls  upon  the  earth.  Again  he 
prays,  and  the  havens  are  opened  and  the  rain  refreshes  the 
earth. 


436  FAST    DAT    8KRM0K 

But,  look  at  the  gracious  promises  also,  which  the  Lord  has 
made  to  them  who  pray  in  faith. — ^'•Ask  and  ye  shall  receive  that 
your  joy  may  be  full.''''  '•''And  whatsoever  ye  ask  in  my  name^  that 
zvill  I  do^  that  the  Father  may  be  glorified  in  the  Son.-''  ^^What 
things  soever  yc  desire  when  ye  pray,  believe  that  ye  receive  them, 
and  ye  shall  have  them.'''' 

We  are  met  together  to  day;  a  solemn  fast  has  been  appoin- 
ted; a  praying  assembly  is  collected  to  cry  unto  the  Lord;  and 
what  are  our  petitions?  for  what  are  we  this  day  to  pray? 

We  are  called  this  day  to  supplicate  the  throne  of  grace,  and 
cry  mightily  to  the  Lord  for  the  salvation  of  our  bleeding  coun- 
try— for  deliverance  from  impending  danger— and  for  success 
and  victory  upon  our  brave  troops,  who  have  gone  to  risk  their 
lives  for  the  defence  of  liberty,  and  fight  the  battles  of  their 
country.  It  is  our  duty  as  free  citizens  of  a  favoured  Republic, 
to  cry  to  the  Lord,  and  plead  in  the  name  of  Jesus  that  the  Lord 
Jehovah  by  his  unerring  wisdom,  would  preside  in  the  grand 
councils  of  our  nation;  that  he  would  direct  our  public  charac- 
ters, and  order  all  their  determinations,  so  as  to  accomplish  the 
great  purposes  of  his  glory;  that  he  would  terminate  the  pre- 
sent contest  in  the  deliverance  of  the  nation;  and  that  he 
would  advance  the  prosperity  of  his  church  and  kingdom  in  the 
world. 

It  is  our  duty  this  day  to  remember  importunately  at  a  throne 
of  grace,  the  distressed  state  of  our  helpless  frontier  settlements, 
which  are  exposed  to  the  Unrelenting  fury  of  the  bloody  sava- 
ges of  the  desert,  and  to  their  murdering  allies  the  British,  who 
are  prompting  and  aiding  them  to  imbrue  their  cruel  hands  in 
the  blood  of  innocent  women  and  helpless  babes.  It  is  our  du- 
ty in  a  particular  manner,  to  remember  our  brave  volunteer 
troops  whom  God  has  stirred  with  a  bold  patriotic  spirit,  to  go- 
forth  to  redeem  their  country  at  the  expense  of  their  blood. 
The  principles  of  humanity,  friendship,  gratitude  and  brotherly 
affection,  prompt  every  true  American,  every  lover  of  mankind, 
and  every  lover  of  Jesus,  to  carry  their  case  to  God;  to  cry 
mightily  to  the  Lord,  and  plead  with  him  to  preserve  and  protect 
them,  through  all  the  dangers  and  difficulties  of  the  present  ex- 
pedition to  shield  and  defend  them  on  the  field  of  battle  to  crown 
them  with  success  and  victory;  and  return  them  again  to  be  a 
comfort  and  a  blessing  to  their  friends  and  their  families.  O  let 
us  remember  them  with  the  affection  of  brothers — our  flesh  and 
the  partners  of  our  lives: — and  since  we  can  do  no  more  for 
those,  who  are  doing  and  suffering  so  much  for  us,  let  us  help, 
and  assist  them  with  our  most  fervent  and  importunate  prayers 
and  entreaties  at  the  throne  of  grace. 

III.  Shew  how  this  national  duty  must  be  performed  to  be  ac- 
ceptable to  God 


FAST    DAY    9KRM0N.  437 

1st.  Let  us  unite  in  heart  and  mind,  like  Americans,  like  breth- 
ren, like  christl:  ii.;>  in  ihe  gx^'U  coinmoii  Cuuse  of  ivir  counlrj  . 
let  all  the  distinctions  and  diiierences  in  politics  which  have 
heretofore  existed,  be  lost  and  forgotten;  and,  like  freemen  and 
christians  let  us  rally  round  the  standard  of  our  nation. 

The  bloody  savages  who  are  now  murdering  tender  mothers 
and  infants  on  our  frontier — the  tin-one  of  Britain,  which  hires 
and  pays  them  for  this  bloody  work — and  the  regular  troops 
who  are  sure  to  assist  and  protect  them  in  these  cruel  murders — 
are  the  common  enemies  of  our  country — the  common  enemies 
of  humanity,  and  of  God  himself.  Let  no  American,  let  no 
lover  of  mankind  or  his  country,  plead  the  case  of  blood  thirsty 
monsters  in  human  shape.  No.  Let  us  all  with  one  heart  and 
one  mind  cry  to  the  Lord  to  go  forth  with  our  armies — to  tread 
down  our  enemies — and  bring  salvation  and  deliverence  to  our 
country. 

2nd.  That  we  may  perform  this  great  national  duty  to  divine 
acceptance,  let  each  of  us,  for  himself,  reform  his  life  in  every 
thing  contrary  to  the  nature  and  will  of  God;  let  us  repent  and 
forsake  every  sin;  let  each  one  of  us  try,  for  himself  to  have  ev- 
ery guilty  cause  removed,  that  might  provoke  the  Lord  to  pour 
out  his  judgments  upon  us,  or  permit  our  enemies  to  prevail 
against  us.  If  we  will  lie  in  the  dust  before  him  like  returning 
prodigals — like  humble  penitents — the  scriptures  declare,  yea, 
the  very  language  of  the  Lord  is,  ^^Draw  nigh  to  God  and  he 
will  draw  nigh  to  you^''  "  Turn  ye  unto  me,  saith  the  Lord  of 
hosts,  and  I  will  turn  unto  youJ''' 

3rd.  To  perform  this  duty  acceptably,  let  as  try  to  be  chris- 
tians in  reality — to  have  the  knowledge  of  God  and  his  son  Jesus 
Christ,  which  is  eternal  life — that  faith  which  beholds  the  divine 
glory  in  the  face  of  Jesus — that  faith  which  feeds  and  livesupon 
Christ  the  bread  of  life,  which  came  down  from  heaven.  Then 
we  will  be  able  to  come  to  God  in  Christ,  as  children  to  a 
father — then  we  will  be  able  to  wrestle  with  God  in  prayer  like 
Jacob,  and  prevail  like  Israel, 


SEEMON  XXXIX. 


THE  BEIiEEVER'S  ESPOVSAT.  TO  CUBIST. 


^''Go  and  cry  in  the  ears  of  Jer^tsalem^  sayings  Thus  saith  the 
Lord;  I  remember  thee,  the  Jdndness  of  thy  youth,  the  love  of  thine 
espousals,  when  thou  wentest  after  me  in  the  wilderness,  in  a  land 
(hat  was  not  sown»''^     Jeremiah  ii,  2. 


The  first  chapter  of  the  prophecy  of  Jeremiah,  contains  his 
call  and  commission  as  a.prophet.  This  is  the  introduction  of 
the  first  solemn  message  from  ihe  Lord  to  the  Jews,  his  once 
beloved,  but  now  backsliden  people.  In  (his  chapter  the  Lord 
contrasts  the  kindness  of  their  youth,  the  love  of  their  espousals, 
when  they  went  after  him  in  the  wilderness — when  ^^  Israel  was 
holiness  to  the  Lord  and  the  first  fruits  of  his  increase,^''  with 
their  unnatural  rebellion,  base  aposlacy  and  whorish  idolatory; 
and  it  points  out,  in  the  most  striking  language  their  brutish  in- 
gratitude. ^^Thus saith  the  Lord,  What  iniquities  have  your  fa- 
thers found  in  me,  that  they  are  gone  far  from  me,  and  haveicalk- 
ed  after  vanity')  and  are  become  vainV  Why  have  they  gone  af- 
ter strange  gods  and  their  vain  imaginations,  notwithstanding 
the  great  things  which  the  Lord  has  done  for  them — in  their 
redemption  from  the  h' avy  yoke  of  Egyptian  bondage— in 
their  deliverance  at  the  Red  Sea — the  tender  care  and  protec- 
tion he  extended  to  them  in  the  wilderness— -and  in  putting 
them  in  possession  of  the  promised  Canaan— a  land  flowing  with 
milk  and  honey. 

He  then  represents  their  rebellion  and  ingratitude  as  without 
parallel,  even  among  the  heathen  nations  of  Greece  and  Italy — 
the  unenlightened  idolaters  of  the  Isles — the  wandering  tribe  of 
the  Arabian  deserts.  No  such  examples  of  irrational  conduct 
could  be  found.  "Pa^s  over  the  isles  of  Chittim  and  see;  and 
send  unto  Kedan,  and  consider  diligently,  and  see  if  there  be  such 
a  tiling.  Hath  a  nation  changed  their  gods,  which  are  yet  no 
gods?  but  my  people  have  changed  their  glory,  for  that  which  doth 
not  profit.     Be  astonished^  O  ye  heavens  at  this,  and  be  horribly 


THE,    BEUEVER^S    ESP0D9AL    TO    CHRIST.  439 

afraid,  be  ye  very  desolate^  saiih  the  Lord.  For  my  people  have 
committed  two  evils;  they  have  forsaken  me  the  fountain  of  living 
waters,  and  hewed  them  out  cisterns,  broken  cisterns  that  can  hold 
no  ivater.^''  Again,  he  says,  ^^Can  a  maid  forget  her  ornaments^ 
or  a  bride  her  attire?  yet  my  people  have  forgotten  me  days  without 
number.'''' 

By  the  kindness  of  their  youth,  and  the  love  of  their  espou- 
sals, when  they  went  after  him  in  the  wilderness,  he  refers  par- 
ticularly to  the  time  of  their  deliverance  at  the  Red  Sea,  when 
they  were  completely  liberated  from  Pharoah  and  Egyptian 
bondage — when  they  saw  all  their  enemies  lost  beneath  the 
waves — when  the  Lord  guarded  them  in  a  pillar  of  cloud  by 
day,  and  a  pillar  of  fire  by  night — when  he  fed  them  on  manna 
descending  from  heaven,  and  refreshed  them  with  pure  water 
breaking  from  the  rock. 

Then  the  Lord  espoused  them  to  himself  as  his  peculiar  peo- 
ple, set  apart  from  all  the  nations  of  the  earth.  Then  they  sang 
his  praises  and  adored  his  name. 

The  deliverance  of  the  Israelites  at  the  Red  Sea,  and  their 
iiappy  escape  from  Pharo  ih  and  the  Egyptians,  is  a  lively  figure 
of  the  sinner's  conversion  to  God.  When  the  arm  of  Jesus 
plucks  him  as  a  brand  from  the  burning — draws  him  from  the 
horrible  pit  and  miry  clay — and  rescues  him  from  the  jaws  of 
the  roaring  lion  of  hell.  The  day  of  the  sinner's  conversion  is 
the  time  of  the  soul's  espousal  to  Christ;  a  day  of  joy  in  heaven 
and  earth;  a  day  of  joy  to  the  Lord  Jesus,  for  then  he  sees  of  the 
travail  of  his  soul  and  is  satisfied.  He  then  forgets  his  groans 
and  bloody  sweat  in  the  garden,  and  Mount  Calvary's  dreadful 
scene  of  wounds,  blood  and  death,  and  sees  the  attributes  of 
God  shining  with  glorious  lustre  in  the  salvation  of  the  purchase 
of  his  blood.  It  is  a  day  of  unspeakable  joy  to  all  the  heavenly 
hosts.  Angels  and  archangels,  seraphim  and  cherubim,  and  the 
spirits  of  the  just  made  perfect,  tune  their  harps  anew,  to  notes 
of  sweetest  music,  when  they  see  a  sinner  born  to  God.  I  say 
unto  you  that  likewise  joy  shall  be  in  heaven  over  one  sinner  that 
repenteth.  It  is  a  day  of  joy  to  the  ministers  of  Christ,  who  are 
for  the  most  part  sorrowful  and  heart-broken  on  account  of  the 
hardness  and  impenitence  of  sinners'  hearts;  but  in  their  con- 
version, they  are  more  than  paid  for  their  works  of  faith  and 
labors  of  love.  It  is  a  day  of  great  joy  to  all  God's  people;  it 
brings  heaven  down  to  earth,  and  gives  them  a  new  start  for 
glory;  for  by  this  they  know  that  God  hears  and  answers  prayer; 
that  he  is  faithful  to  all  his  promises;  but  last  of  all,  it  is  a  day 
of  great  and  unspeakable  joy  to  the  pardoned  soul;  because  he 
has  escaped  the  jaws  of  the  Devil,  and  the  flames  of  an  eter- 
nal heir.  Songs  of  praise  and  gratitude  employ  his  tongue,  and 
he  rejoices  indeed  with  exceeding  great  joy. 


440  THE    believer's    espousal    to    CHRIST. 

Again,  the  joy,  gratitude,  and  love  of  God's  ancient  people, 
their  songs  of  praise,  and  music,  and  dancing,  when  rescued 
from  their  enemies,  beautifully  represent  the  new^  life,  the  heav- 
enly peace,  and  comfort,  and  unutterable  delight  of  young  con- 
verts in  the  service  of  God  in  the  duties  and  ordinances  of  his 
house,  when  they  feel  the  witness  of  Jehovah's  pardoning  love 
in  the  soul,  and  taste  the  sweet  free  libations  of  heavenly  joys. 
These  are  the  effects  consequent  upon  his  happy  deliverence, 
and  the  secret  knowledge  of  the  beauty  and  preciousness  of 
Christ. 

But  alas!  the  shameful  backsliding,  base  ingratitude,  and  idol- 
atry of  the  Jews  notwithstanding  all  the  Lord  had  done  for  them, 
is  very  emblematical  of  the  backslidding,  ingratitude  and  carnal- 
ity of  many  who,  in  these  days,  profess  to  feel  the  pardoning 
love  of  God. 

The  words  of  the  text,  and  the  occasion  upon  which  they 
were  spoken  naturally  lead  to  the  following  reflections,  viz: 
First,  that  the  displays  of  the  almighty  power  and  unparallelled 
love  of  God  to  the  sinner,  in  the  day  of  conversion,  is  cause  of 
unspeakable  joy,  gratitude,  and  love.  Second,  that  the  sins  and 
backslidings  of  those  who  have  tasted  the  pardoning  love  of  God, 
are  more  provoking,  more  deeply  wound  the  Lord  Jesus,  than 
the  sins  of  any  other  class  of  men;  since  they  crucify  the  Son 
of  God  afresh,  and  put  him  to  an  open  shame. 

In  the  further  discussion  of  this  subject,  we  shall  speak — 

L  Of  the  soul's  espousal  to  Christ. 

II.  Of  the  consequences  of  such  espousal. 

III.  Show  some  of  the  marks  and  consequences  of  backslid- 
ing, 

I.  Speak  of  the  soul's  espousel  to  Christ. 

The  word  espousal  is  expressive  of  marriage  and  all  the  ac- 
companying circumstances  and  solemnities.  Here  it  is  applied 
to  the  union  of  the  soul  to  Christ  in  conversion,  and  with 
propriety  too,  inasmuch  as  the  marriage  covenant  and  the  mu- 
tual love  peculiar  to  the  married  state,  are  frequently  used  in 
scripture  to  represent  that  union  and  its  happy  consequences — 
the  Lord  Jesus  being  called  by  the  endearing  epithet  of  bride- 
groom, and  the  believing  soul  the  bride  or  spouse.  Saith  the 
Spirit  to  the  soul,  "TA?/  maker  is  thine  husband:  the  Lord  of 
hosts  is  his  name.^^  The  figure  is  very  appropriate  and  expres- 
sive.    For, 

1st.  As  the  proposals  of  marriage  are  made  by  the  bridegroom 
and  not  the  bride,  so  Christ  first  proposes  the  spiritual  union  to 
the  soul. 

2nd.  In  marriage  the  bridegroom  and  bride  give  themselves 
cheerfully  to  each  other,  and  are  no  more  twain,  but  one  flesh ; 
so  in  the  spiritual  covenant,  Christ  and  the  believing  soul,  are 


THE    believer's    ESPOUSAL   TO    CHRIST.  441 

SO  closely  united,  that  the  believer  becomes  one  body  and  one 
spirit  with  Christ;  and  as  our  Lord  expressess  it,  he  is  one  with 
Christ,  and  he  is  one  with  the  Father.  The  union  is  strong. 
The  soul  is  so  completely  identified  with  Christ,  that  it  is  declar- 
ed, "TAaf  neither  death,  nor  life,  nor  angels,  nor  principalities, 
nor  powers,  nor  things  present,  nor  things  to  come,  nor  height  nor 
depth,  nor  any  other  creature  shall  he  able  to  separate^''  it  from 
him. 

3rd.  As  the  bridegroom  and  bride  become  one,  in  marriage, 
he  is  bound  for  all  debts  or  demands  against  the  bride;  and  she 
at  the  same  time  is  jointly  possessed  and  legally  entitled  to  share 
in  the  wealth  and  property  of  the  bridegroom. 

Thus  in  the  spiritual  union.  In  point  of  justification,  all  the 
sins  of  the  believing  soul  are  laid  upon  Christ;  for  the  poor  sin- 
ner himself  is  a  bankrupt — he  owes  more  than  ten  thousand  tal- 
ents, and  has  nothing  to  pay.  But  no  sooner  is  he  united  to 
Christ  by  faith,  than  all  his  debts  are  discharged  by  the  riches  of 
Christ.  His  righteousness  and  merits — his  blood  and  atone- 
ment, are  a  sufficient  satisfaction  for  the  sins  of  his  blood  bought 
millions — for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world — or  of  ten  thousand 
worlds — if  it  had  been  so  appointed.  In  closing  this  bargain, 
the  soul  is  made  an  heir  of  God  and  joint  heir  with  Jesus  Christ; 
and,  therefore,  the  apostle  tells  us,  that  all  things  are  his — wheth- 
er Paul  or  Apollos,  or  Cephas,  or  the  world,  &c.  The  whole 
Trinity — God  the  Father,  God  the  Son,  and  God  the  Holy 
Ghost  are  his.  Christ  in  his  two  natures  is  his  and  in  all  his 
offices.  Christ  is  his  Prophet,  Priest  and  King;  Christ's  justify- 
ing, lawful  filling  righteousness  is  his.  The  blessed  Spirit  with 
all  his  enlightening,  comforting,  and  sanctifying  influences,  is  his. 
All  that  astonishing  salvation  that  was  purchased  by  Jesus 
Christ,  and  which,  like  an  infinite  ocean  without  bottom  or  shore, 
reaches  from  eternity  to  eternity.  All  this  is  his.  The  eternal 
purposes  of  God  are  his;  all  the  wise  providences  of  God  are 
his;  Jehovah's  eternal  covenant  of  peace — all  the  rich  treasures 
of  his  precious  word — all  the  promises  of  God — life  and  death — 
are  his.  Heaven  with  all  its  joys  and  ineffable  glory  and  bles- 
sedness— an  eternal  kingdom,  and  a  never  fading  crown — an 
exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory — "J.7i  inheritance  incor- 
ruptible and  undejiled,  and  thatfadeth  not  away^'' — such  as  "£?/e 
hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  neither  have  entered  into  the  heart  of 
man'''  to  conceive. — All  these  are  the  portion  of  the  believing 
soul. 

Angels,  archangels,  and  all  the  adoring  hosts  above,  are  lost 
in  wonder  and  amazement,  when  they  behold  the  sinner's  espou- 
sal to  Christ,  and  the  great  contrast  between  the  parties.  The 
bridegroom  is  no  less  a  personage  than  the  infinite,  eternal,  un- 
changeable and  independent  Jehovah — the  Almighty  uncreated 


442  THE    BELIKViiR's    ESPOUSAL    XO    CHKISTo 

I  AM — the  King  eternal,  immortal  and  invisible,  who  is  being 
itself, — the  fountain  of  life  and  source  of  all  existence.  He  is 
the  co-equal,  co-eternal  Son  of  God,  the  brightness  of  his  father's 
glory,  and  the  express  image  of  his  person. 

But  the  soul,  to  whom  the  proposals  of  everlasting  life  are 
made,  and 'whom  Christ  stoops  to  woo,  is  a  child  of  wrath,  an 
heir  of  hell,  defiled,  deformed,  polluted  by  sin. 

The  bridegroom  is  beauty  itself — the  essence  of  all  natural 
and  moral  perfection.  He  is  fairer  than  the  sons  of  men — the 
^^rose  of  Sharon  and  the  lilly  of  the  valley.''''  He  'h's  white  and 
ruddy,  ihechiefest  among  ten  thousand"' -^[\&  is  altogethvr  lovely. 
But  the  soul  whom  he  courts  to  become  his  bride,  is  a  mass  of 
depravity  and  moral  filth — fit  for  the  vengeance  of  eternal 
fire. 

The  bridegroom  is  the  darling  of  the  Father — the  object  of 
Jehovah's  delight;  ho  loves  him  as  himself;  for  all  the  glories 
and  excellencies  of  the  Godhead  are  essentially  in  him.  He  is 
the  wonder  of  angels — the  joy  and  admiration  of  millions  of 
believers  in  heaven  and  earth.  His  presence  constitutes  the 
heaven  of  heavens,  and  all  the  blessedness  of  the  celestial  Par- 
adise. One  smile  of  his  face — one  taste  of  his  love,  makes  the 
dying  bed  a  couch  of  joy  and  holy  delight,  and  communicates 
bliss  to  the  soul  of  the  martyr  while  blazing  at  the  stake,  or 
while  being  torn  in  pieces  upon  the  rack.  In  a  word, his  smiles^ 
his  love,  and  his  presence,  would  transform  the  bottomless  burn- 
ing lake  of  hell  into  a  heaven  of  indescribable  glory  and  bles- 
sedness. 

But  the  heart  of  man  cannot  conceive,  nor  the  tongue  of 
Gabriel  describe,  the  hellish  deformity  and  loathsomeness  of  the 
soul  that  Christ  entreats  to  be  united  to  him.  A  dead  carcase 
in  the  last  stage  of  putrefaction,  never  appeared  so  hateful  or 
abominable  to  man's  delicate  sensibilities,  as  does  the  unregener- 
ate  soul,  in  the  sight  of  a  God  of  immaculate  purity  and  holi- 
ness. 

g^Now  say,  did  heaven  or  earth  ever  witness  espousals,  where 
there  was  such  a  contrast?  Oh  unbounded,  unutterable  grace! 
This  is  indeed  love  which  passeth  all  understanding.  And  what 
is  truly  strange,  often  when  Jesus,  this  glorious  personage,  comes 
as  a  suiter  and  makes  the  most  advantageous  proposals  to  the 
poor,  wretched  soul,  and  uses  arguments  and  expostulations,  and 
stands  and  knocks  at  the  door  from  Sabbath  to  Sabbath,  from 
year  to  year,  and  courts  her  even  with  tears,  to  open  the  door 
and  be  united  to  him,  he  is  forced  to  depart.  The  defiled  and 
accursed  sinner  treats  all  his  overtures  of  mercy  and  love,  with 
contempt,  and  keeps  his  heart  securely  locked  and  bolted  against 
him;  while  the  Devil,  the  world,  and  filthy  lust,  or  some  abom- 
inable idol  is  embraced,  indulged  and  caressed. 


THE    BBLUtyxil's    EaPOffSAL    TO    CHRIST.  44 S 

Does  any  one  inquire  the  reason  of  this  base  and  un- 
grateful conduct?  I  would  answer,  the  sinner  in  his  unrenewed 
state  is  wedded  to  that  Old  serpent,  the  Devil;  is  subject  to  the 
God  of  this  world.  The  spirit  that  works  in  the  children  of 
disobedience  is  the  beloved  of  the  sinner's  soul.  The  thoughts 
of  parting  with  him  are  worse  than  death.  Our  Lord  repre- 
sents him  as  a  strong  man  armed,  holding  full  possession  and 
keeping  his  goods  in  peace.  In  Isaiah  the  soul  is  said  to  be  in 
covenant  with  death,  and  in  agreement  with  hell.  He  hates 
God,  and  Christ,  and  holiness.  He  despises  praying  and  the 
word  of  God — religion  and  all  the  service  of  God.  He  is  in 
love  with  himself,  the  world,  and  all  manner  of  wickedness,  and 
would  risk  death  and  all  the  torments  of  the  damned,  rather 
than  part  with  his  beloved  sins. 

Now,  to  divorce  the  soul  from  the  Devil,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
by  the  enlightning  power  and  influences  of  his  Spirit,  directs  the 
thunders  of  the  divine  law  against  the  conscience.  The  arrows 
of  the  Almighty  stick  fast  in  the  heart  and  drink  up  his  spirits. 
He  feels  to  his  inmost  soul  that  he  is  a  sinner,  a  guilty  and  con- 
demned sinner,  under  the  wrath  and  curse  of  God,  and  just 
ready  to  plunge  the  fiery  gulf  and  feel  the  burning  beams  of  the 
wrath  of  Jehovah  enkindled  in  his  soul,  the  foretastes  of  the 
horrors  of  damnation.  His  troubled  conscience  finds  no  peace 
day  nor  night.  But  there  is  yet  an  insurmountable  bar  which 
shuts  Christ  out  of  the  heart.  The  sinner  is  devotedly  attached 
to  the  law  as  a  covenant  of  works.  He  has  a  high  opinion  of 
his  own  strength,  and  believes  that  he  can  at  least  do  something 
towards  his  salvation.  To  be  dead  to  all  hope  in  himself — to 
be  stripped  naked  before  God  and  come  as  a  beggar  to  the  feet 
of  Jesus — to  be  indebted  to  sovereign  grace  for  all,  is  too  humb- 
ling to  proud  nature.  Therefore,  it  is  the  most  difficult  of  all 
things,  to  divide  the  affections  of  the  heart  from  its  self  righte- 
ousness. 

Such  is  the  disposition  of  the  sinner,  and  his  attachment  to  the 
law  as  a  covenant  of  works,  that  he  endeavors  to  make  a  saviour 
of  his  reformations,  his  prayers,  tears,  resolutions  and  stronc^ 
desires,  or  something,  done  by  himself.  He  holds  fast  his  own 
righteousness  till  the  Omnipotent  arm  tears  him  from  it.  Like 
the  Athenian  who  swam  to  the  boat  and  would  have  forced  his 
passage  in  it — when  one  hand  was  cut  off"  he  laid  hold  with  the 
other,  and  when  that  was  taken  away,  he  seized  it  with  his  teeth 
until  his  head  was  cut  oft'. 

Therefore,  to  kill  his  legal  hopes  and  reduce  him  to  the  neces- 
sity of  flying  to  Christ  as  his  only  refuge,  the  Spirit  of  God  lays 
open  to  his  view  the  hellish  wickedness  and  total  depravity  of 
his  nature.  He  sees  his  heart,  and  feels  it  to  be  just  as  God 
describes  it — ^^Deceitful  above  all  things,  aud  desperately  wicked'''— 

56 


444  THE    BELIEVER  S    ESPOUSAL    TO    CHRIST. 

a  cage  of  unclean  birds — a  sink  of  pollution — a  workshop  for 
the  Devil. — Every  imagination  of  the  thoughts  of  his  hearts  is 
only  evil  continually — A  fountain  of  wickedness,  his  heart  is 
Hike  the  troubled  sea,  when  it  cannot  rest,  whose  waters  cast  up 
mire  and  dirt,^'' — out  of  it  ''^proceed  evil  thoughts,  murders,  adul- 
teries, fornications,  thefts,  false  witness,  blasphemies.'''  He  per- 
ceives all  his  prayers  and  tears  to  be  sinful  in  the  sight  of  heav- 
en, and  is  convinced  that  if  salvation  could  be  gained  by  one 
good  thought  or  pious  affection,  he  must  sink  irrecoverably  to 
endless  woe.  Now,  like  David,  he  feels  the  pains  of  hell  take 
hold  of  him;  he  finds  grief  and  trouble.  Such  are  the  distress 
and  anguish  of  his  soul,  that  none  can  describe  them;  nor  can 
those  form  any  idea  of  his  pangs,  who  have  not  felt  them.  He 
strugfi;les  for  salvation,  like  the  drowning  man  for  life.  He 
pleads  for  mercy  with  bitter  cries,  like  the  condemned  criminal 
for  a  pardon.  One  while  all  hopes  of  mercy  are  gone;  again 
he  has  some  faint  glimmerings  of  hope  that  there  is  mercy  for 
him;  but  again,  all  hope  is  lost.  Thus  he  is  tossed  between 
hope  and  despair,  unttl  he  is  slain  by  the  law,  and  lies  at  the 
feet  of  Jesus,  crying,  Lord  help  or  I  perish. 

In  his  darkest  hour,  when  the  poor  sinner  feels  as  if  just  sink- 
ing into  the  pit  of  hell,  Jesus  the  glorious  bridegroom,  appears 
to  his  view.  In  him,  he  beholds  the  bright  and  ineffable  glories 
of  the  Godhead,  all  the  perfect  uncreated  excellencies  of  the 
Deity.  He  looks  upon  him  as  being,  in  his  person,  his  two  na- 
tures, and  his  mediatorial  offices,  an  almighty,  all-sufficient,  and 
willing  Saviour.  He  sees  the  law  magnified  and  made  honora- 
ble, by  his  glorious  righteousness,  and  justice  completely  satis- 
fied by  the  rich  price  whieh  he  paid  for  man's  redemption.  He 
sees  that  plan  in  all  its  beauty,  by  which  such  a  poor  hell  de- 
serving sinner  as  he  is,  can  be  pardoned  and  saved.  He  beholds 
an  infinite  ocean  of  mercy,  salvation  and  eternal  life,  bursting 
from  the  pierced  side  and  breaking  heart  of  the  incarnate  Son 
of  God,  and  feels  all  the  mountains  of  his  sin  and  guilt  carried 
away  and  sunk  in  the  Red  Sea  of  redeeming  blood.  He  feels 
as  if  he  were  in  a  new  world. — "O/c?  things  are  passed  away, 
behold  all  things  are  become  new.'''  He  has  a  new  knowled-g 
of  God  and  of  his  precious  word:  a  new  love  to  the  divi 
law — new  breathings  after  God  and  holiness.  "77ze  peace  of 
God  which  passeth  all  understanding^^  fills  his  soul.  He  rejoices 
^^  with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory.'''' 

No  tongue  can  tell — no  language  can  describe — the  praise, 
and  gratitude,  and  love  of  the  soul; 

"While  sweetly,  humbly  he  beholds  at  length 
Christ  as  his  only  righteousness  and  strength." 


THE    believer's    FSPOUSAL    TQ    CHRIST.  445 

At  the  moment  when  the  sinner  beholds  Christ  by  faith,  and 
all  the  glorious  beauty  of  the  bridegroom,  he  cries  out,  the  one 
half,  nor  the  ten  thousandth  part  of  thy  wisdom,  thy  loveliness, 
and  thine  excellency,  was  never  told. 

This  is  the  day  of  the  soul's  espousal  to  Christ,  when  with 
praise,  gratitude,  and  wonder,  it  falls  before  the  Eternal  All,  and 
in  language  of  ravished  delight,  exclaims,  Oh  Jesus,  thou  art  suffi- 
cient. ^^Whom  have  I  in  heaven  but  thee?  and  there  is  none  upon 
the  earth  that  I  desire  besides  thee." 

II.  Speak  of  the  blissful  consequences  of  the  soul's  espousal 
to  Christ. 

Were  I  to  sum  up  the  exercises  of  the  young  convert — the 
kindness  of  his  youth  and  the  love  of  his  espousal,  I  would  saj'-, 
that  they  consist,  in  love  and  wonder,  praise,  gratitude  and  ado- 
ration, breathing  after  holiness,  and  longing  and  thirsting  for 
communion  with  God,  and  recommending  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
to  sinners.  But  to  be  more  particular. — The  young  convert 
employs  himself  in  praising  and  glorifying  God — in  singing  the 
songs  of  Paradise.  "jHe  brought  me  up  also  out  of  an  horrible 
pit,  out  of  the  miry  clay,  and  set  my  feet  upon  a  rock,  and  estab- 
lished my  goings;  and  he  hath  put  a  new  song  in  my  mouth,  even 
praise  unto  God.'''' 

In  telling  the  great  things  which  the  Lord  has  done  for  him, 
and  calling  upon  the  people  of  God  to  assist  him  in  praising  and 
glorifying  his  holy  name:  this  exercise  is  peculiar  to  the  soul  in 
its  first  love.  The  woman  in  the  parable,  when  she  had  found 
her  money,  and  the  man  when  he  had  found  the  lost  sheep,  called 
their  friends  and  neighbors  to  rejoice  with  them.  And  when 
the  sinner  finds  Christ,  the  pearl  of  great  price,  his  heart  is  so 
glad — he  is  so  full  of  heavenly  joy,  that  he  runs  to  his  christian 
friends,  and  tells  them  as  Philip  did  Nathaniel,  ''''We  have  found 
him  of  whom  Moses  in  the  law,  and  the  prophets  did  write,  Jesus 
of  Nazareth,  the  son  of  Joseph." 

Another  employment  of  young  converts  in  the  love  of  their 
espousal — is  sweet  conversation  of  heaven  and  divine  things. 
When  they  are  met  together,  Christ  and  his  love  fill  their  whole 
hearts,  and  all  their  thoughts.  With  pleasure  they  tell  each 
other  of  their  blissful  seasons,  their  new  views  of  the  lovely 
Jesus,  and  discoveries  of  the  precious  word,  and  sweet  feasts  of 
heavenly  manna.  "  Then  they  that  feared  the  Lord  spake  often  one  to 
another.'^  ''■And  they  shall  be  mine,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  in 
that  day  when  I  make  up  my  jeioels." 

The  young  convert,  in  the  day  of  his  espousal,  in  the  time 
of  his  first  love,  when  he  goeth  after  the  Lord,  delights  in  prayer; 
for  then  he  gets  near  to  God,  as  a  child  to  its  father.  He  loves 
the  courts  of  the  house  of  God,  and  delights  in  his  ordinances; 
for  in  them  he  often  meets  with  Christ,  sees  his  glory  and  feels 


446  XBB    B&L1BV£R.'S    £1P9U«A1^    TO    CHKIST. 

his  love  shed  abroad  in  his  soul.  From  Pisgah's  top  he  sees  his 
Father's  house,  and  by  the  hand  of  faith  plucks  delicious  fruits 
from  the  tree  of  life,  in  the  midst  ol  the  Paradise  of  God.  Yes, 
every  soul  who  ever  felt  the  pardoning  love  of  God  in  Christ, 
can  remember  the  kindness  of  their  youth  and  the  love  of  their 
espousals  when  their  hearts  went  out  after  the  Lord,  and  rejoic- 
ed all  the  day  long  in  his  praise.  They  will  tell  in  the  language 
of  the  poet: 

"Sweet  was  the  time,  when  first  I  felt 

My  Saviour's  pardoning  blood 
Applied  to  dense  my  soul  from  guilt 

And  bring  me  home  to  God. 

Soon  as  the  morn  the  light  revealed, 

His  praises  tuned  my  tongue; 
And  when  the  evening  shades  prevailed 

His  love  was  all  my  song. 

In  vain  the  tempter  spreads  his  wiles — 

The  world  no  more  could  charm — 
I  lived  upon  my  Saviour's  smiles, 

And  leaned  upon  his  arm. 

In  prayer,  my  soul  drew  near  the  Lord 

And  saw  his  glory  shine ; 
And  when  I  read  his  holy  word, 

I  called  each  promise  mine." 

In  the  day  of  his  espousals,  the  believer  is  ready  to  conclude, 
that  he  shall  sin  no  more;  that  he  shall  never  feel  a  cold  heart 
or  have  gloomy  doubts.  And  almost  thinks  every  professor  of 
religion  a  hypocrite,  who  is  not  flaming  with  love  to  God.  If 
you  were  to  tell  him,  that  his  heart  would  become  car- 
nal and  backslide,  he  would  look  upon  the  idea  with  abhor- 
rence. 

III.  We  will  proceed  to  show  some  of  the  marks  and  conse- 
quences of  backsliding. 

It  is  a  melancholly  truth,  that  many  who  have  tasted  and  felt 
the  love  of  Jesus,  have  shamefully  gone  astray,  after  all  the 
glorious  things  that  he  has  done  for  them.  They  have  pierced 
and  wounded  him,  crucified  him  afresh^  and  have  put.  him  to  an 
open  shame  before  the  world. 

Of  all  the  sins  that  men  or  Devils  have  committed,  there  are 
none  so  horrible,  so  displeasing  to  God,  as  those  of  his  blood 
bought  purchase.  I  once  heard  an  eminent  divine  observe,  that 
infinite  justice  had  provided  a  hell  for  the  punishment  of  impen- 
itent, unconverted  sinners;  but  Eternal  Wisdom  had  never  yet 


THE    BELIEVJSr's    ESPOUSAL    TO    CHRIST.  447 

devised  a  hell  adequate  to  the  sins  of  his  own  backslidden  peo- 
ple. 

When  God  delivered  the  Jews  at  the  Red  Sea,  the  kindness 
of  their  youth  and  the  love  of  their  espousals  was  strong.  Tliey 
went  after  him  in  the  wilderness  and  sang  his  praises.  But  they 
soon  '"'-Forgot  his  ivorks,  and  his  wonders  that  he  had  shewed 
them.''''  The  Lord  treated  them  as  the  apple  of  his  eye — he  car- 
ried thtm  as  on  eagle'' s  wings — he  made  them  ride  upon  the  high 
places  of  the  earth. — he  made  theyn  suck  honey  out  of  the  rock^  and 
oil  out  of  the  flinty  rock.  '•'•But  Jeshuran  waxed  fat  and  kicked, 
forsook  God  which  made  him,  and  lightly  esteemed  the  Rock  of 
salvation.'''' 

The  solemn  charge  which  the  Son  of  God  brings  against  the 
church  of  Ephesus,  is  that  of  haying  left  their  first  love.  But 
as  this  crying  sin,  of  departing  from  the  living  God,  and  lightly 
esteeming  the  Rock  of  their  salvation,  lies  at  the  door  of  multi- 
tudes of  the  present  day,  we  shall  mention  some  of  the  signs 
and  evidences  of  backsliding  from  God. 

When  christians  begin  to  feel  secret  prayer  a  burden  rather 
than  a  privilege,  and  neglect  it  under  some  plausible  excuses; 
when  their  tongues  are  tied  and  their  mouths  shut,  and  have 
little  to  say  about  Christ  and  religion;  when  they  rarely  speak 
of  their  spiritual  exercises;  when  they  lose  their  relish  for  the 
heavenly  manna,  and  sigh  for  the  pleasures,  pursuits  and  vani- 
ties of  the  world;  when  they  drop  oft'  from  the  communion  table, 
from  time  to  time,  and  excuse  the  horrid  wickedness  of  such 
conduct,  by  declaring  they  have  bad  feelings,  and  presently  feel 
perfectly  contented  in  their  neglect  of  this  sacred  duty,  and  se- 
cretly mortified  and  ashamed  that  they  ever  professed  religion, 
and  sorry  that  they  had  ever  sat  at  the  communion;  when  they 
can  stay  away  from  the  preaching  of  God's  word  and  the  ordi- 
nances of  his  house,  for  weeks  and  months,  and  yet  feel  no 
compunctions  of  conscience ;  when  they  are  carried  away  with 
new  doctrines  and  opinions,  contrary  to  the  word  of  God; 
when  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel  in  which  they  professed  to  find 
Christ  and  obtain  a  blessed  hope  of  eternal  life  are  rejected  and 
treated  with  contempt;  when  the  ministers  whom  they  once  es- 
teemed their  spiritual  fathers,  the  instruments  of  their  awaken- 
ing and  conversion,  are  treated  as  deceivers  and  impostors. 

I  would  call  the  attention  of  those  of  you,  who  were  present 
when  the  first  sacrement  was  administered  in  Henderson  coun- 
ty. Afany  then,  appeared  to  manifest,  the  kindness  of  their  youth 
and  love  of  their  espousal,  and  seemed  to  go  after  the  Lord.  I  con- 
versed with  many  of  the  young  people  and  admitted  them  to  the 
communion,  who  were  all  life  and  zeal,  and  seemed  indeed  to  have 
started  for  immortal  glory.  Their  conversation  savoured  of  nothing 
but  Christ  and  heaven*     Every  evening  and  morning,  the  woods 


448  THE    BJELIKVEr's    ESPOUSjIL    to    CHRIST. 

resounded  with  their  importnnate  prayers  and  cries  to  God.  At 
the  table  of  the  Lord,  they  appeared  to  feel  heaven  upon  earth. 

Had  I  then  told  them,  that  before  ten  years,  they  would  be 
days  and  weeks  without  ever  praying  in  secret,  and  without 
any  disposition  to  speak  of  Christ  and  heaven ;  had  I  told  them 
that  the  gospel  woald  be  preached  with  faithfulness  in  a  few 
miles  of  them,  and  that  they  would  not  go  once  in  a  year  to 
hear  it;  that  they  would  publicly  deny  their  Lord  by  absenting 
themselves  from  his  table;  that  sacrements  should  be  administer- 
ed convenient  to  them,  and  that  they  would  not  so  much  as  give 
their  attendence  at  them; — they  would  have  answered  me  as 
Hazael  did. the  prophet. — ^'But  what,  is  thy  servant  a  dog,  that  he 
shauld  do  this  great  thing ?''^  To  such  the  Lord  addresses  him- 
self when  he  says,  '•'■Can  a  maid  forget  her  ornaments,  or  a  bride 
her  attire?  yet  my  people  have  forgotten  me  days  zuithout  number.'''' 

But  what  is,  if  possible,  more  extraordinary,  men,  who  at  that 
time,  Jehu-like,  seemed  to  drive  on  rapidly  in  the  heavenly 
course,  have  not  only  backslidden  from  their  first  love,  but  have 
forsakenfthe  church  and  are  now  anxiously  seeking  her  destruc- 
tion. 

The  doctrines  of  the  cross  which  they  professed  to  be  the 
wisdom  and  power  of  God  to  their  salvation,  they  reject  with 
abhorrence.  Theirs  is  the  case  to  which  the  prophet  alludes"in 
the  tenth  verse.  *''Pass  over  the  isles  of  Chittini  and  see,  and  send 
unto  Kedan  and  consider  diligently,  and  see  if  there  be  such  a 
thing.  Hath  a  nation  chsinged  their  gods  which  are  yet  no  gods  ? 
but  thy  people  have  changed  their  glory  for  that  which  doth  not 
profit.''''  Among  the  heathen  nations  of  the  earth,  no  such  in- 
stances of  ingratitude  and  rebellion  can  be  found.  And  now  let 
every  backsliding  soul  seriously  inquire,  as  if  in  sight  of  the  bar 
of  Jehovah — was  my  soul  espoused  to  Christ?  Was  it  Christ  or 
was  it  some  subtle  dece]>tion  of  the  Devil. 


SERMON  XL. 


VINDICATION  OF  THE  EXERCISES  IN  THE   KEVIVAIi  OF  1800. 

^^Jesns  answered  and  said  unto  them.  Go  and  shew  John  again 
those  things  mhich  ye  do  hear  and  see;  the  blind  receive  their  sight, 
and  the  lame  walk,  the  lepers  are  cleansed,  and  the  deaf  hear,  the 
dead  are  raised  up,  and  the  poor  have  the  gospel  preached  unto 
them.     And  blessed  is  he,  whosoever  shall  not  be  offended  in  we." 

Matthew  xi.  4,  5,  6. 


Whenever  Christ  has  appeared  for  the  salvation  of  sinners, 
it  has  been  in  a  manner  contrary  to  the  expectations  of  a  blind 
world — and  in  a  way  too  humbling  to  the  pride  of  the  carnal 
heart. 

When  he  made  his  advent  into  the  world,  when  he  came  in 
mercy  to  seek  and  to  save  that  which  was  lost,  he  does  not  ap- 
pear in  princely  pomp  like  a  mighty  monarch  of  the  earth. 
He  veils  his  Godhead  in  clay,  assumes  the  appearance  of  a  serv- 
ant— a  man  of  sorrows,  acquainted  with  grief,  rejected  and  des- 
pised of  men:  so  poor  that  he  has  not  where  to  lay  his  head  and 
must  work  a  miracle  to  raise  a  farthing  with  which  to  pay  his 
tax.  And  thus  it  has  been  in  every  period  of  the  church  since 
his  resurrection  and  ascension, — when  in  a  day  of  his  power  he 
comes  for  the  salvation  of  sinners.  And  still  he  appears  and 
works  widely  contrary  to  the  expectation  of  the  carnal  mind 
and  in  a  way  humbling  and  abasing  to  the  proud  heart  of  man. ' 

The  Jews  could  not  regard  Jesus  of  Nazareth  a  common  car- 
penter, a  poor,  contemptible,  despised  man,  travelling  up  and 
down  the  country,  with  no  higher  companions  than  a  few  poor 
fishermen,as  the  Messiah.  They  thought  it  altogether  unreason- 
able that  he  should  be  the  Saviour  of  the  world,  the  Son  of  God 
that  Christ  foretold  by  Moses  and  the  prophets.  This  their  car- 
nal minds  could  not  admit.  Thought  they,  it  is  too  humblino-  to 
follow  such  a  Messiah  as  this:  the  fellow  is  onh"  an  impostor 


450  VINDICATION    OF    THE    EXERCISES    IN 

Well,  my  brethren,  Christ's  coming  at  the  present  day  in  the 
power  of  the  Godhead  to  visit  his  church  witli  the  outpouring  of 
his  Spirit,  is  marked  with  circumstances  equally  unreasonable 
in  the  opinion  of  the  proud  and  wordly  minded.  They  think 
this  noisy  tumult  and  uproar  is  mad  confusion,  and  cannot  be- 
lieve this  fallmg  down,  and  shrieking,  and  crying  for  mercy — 
this  praising,  shouting,  and  rejoicing,  to  be  the  glorious  work  of 
the  Eternal  God — that  it  is  that  revival  of  religion — that  day 
of  God's  power,  for  which  christians  have  been  longing  and  pray 

The  subjectof  inquiry  among  the  Jews  was  this:  Is  Jesus  of 
Nazareth  the  true  Messiah,  the  promised  Christ?  and  the  ques- 
tion which  agitates  the  minds  and  claims  the  attention  of  the 
world  at  present,  is,  whether  this  is  the  work  of  God:  is  this  a 
revival  of  religion,  produced  by  the  Spirit  of  Christ? 

In  the  context  it  is  said,  that  John  the  Baptist,  the  forerunner 
and  friend  of  Jesus,  sent  two  of  his  disciples  to  ask  him  '^Art 
thou  he  that  should  come,  or  do  we  look  for  another?^''  Art  thou 
indeed  the  Christ.  Whether  John  through  darkness  and  unbe- 
lief had  some  doubts  upon  this  subject,  or  whether  the  message 
was  sent  for  the  purpose  of  removing  doubts  and  scruples  from 
the  minds  of  his  disciples,  we  cannot  determine.  One  thing  is 
certain,  doubts  did  exist  in  the  mind  of  many,  and  for  this  reason 
the  question  '.s  proposed. — ^^jirt  thou  he  that  should  come,  or  do  we 
look  for  another.'^ 

Jesus  answers  this  question  by  referring  to  plain  and  incontes- 
tible  evidence  of  his  Messiahship,  viz:  the  God-like  effects  which 
followed  the  operations  of  his  power.  "(?o,  and  shew  John  again 
those  things  which  ye  do  hear  and  see;  the  blind  receive  their  sight, 
and  the  lame  walk,  the  lepers  are  cleansed,  and  the  deaf  hear,  the 
the  dead  are  raised  vp,  and  the  poor  have  the  gospel  preached  to 
them.  And  blessed  is  he,  whosoever  shall  not  be  offended  in  wze." 
Blessed  is  he  who  has  no  prejudice  against  the  low  and  contemp- 
tible appearance  of  my  person;  or  the  strange  and  unusual  fea- 
tures of  my  work.  Blessed  is  he,  who  hath  no  such  prejudices 
against  me,  as  shall  prevent  him  from  receiving  the  blessings,  I 
came  to  bestow;  or  from  accepting  the  salvation  which  I  came 
to  purchase. 

Many  there  are  who  are  asking,  Is  this  Christ  or  do  we  look 
for  another?  Is  this  the  work  of  the  Lord,  or  of  the  Devil?  Is 
this  the  power  of  God,  or  a  delusion  of  the  arch  fiend  of  hell? 
Such  inquirers  are  directed,  as  were  John's  disciples,  to  look  at 
the  divine  evidence  attending  the  work. 

My  design  in  speaking  from  this  subject,  is  to  prove  that  the 
powerful  appearance  of  the  revival  of  religion,  at  present  existing 
in  our  country,  is  the  work  of  God,  and  if  possible  to  remove 


t«E  maviTAL  Of  1800.'  471 

"every  prejudice,  which  might  occasion  some  to  he  offended  in 
Christ  and  hardened  through  unbehef. 
To  obtain  this  object  we  shall — 

I.  Give  a  brief  statement  of  the  present  work  of  God. 

II.  Describe  some^of  the  effects  which  prove  it  to  be  <a  work 
•of  divine  power. 

III.  Account  for  many  strange  appearances  which  attend  the 
work,  upon  the  principles  of  reason  and  scripture. 

IV.  The  danger  of  being  offended  at  Christ,  or  indulging  pre-^ 
judice  against  the  woric  of  God. 

I.  Give  a  brief  statement  of  the  present  work  of  God. 

This  blessed  work  first  appeared  in  the  Gasper  river  congre- 
gation, early  in  the  spring  of  1797.  The  doctrines  of  the  new 
birth,  fetith,  and  repentance,  which  were  uniformly  preached,^ 
seemed  to  excite  seriousdnquiry  in  the  minds  of  many  concerning 
the  state  of  their  souls.  Many  asked,  Is  religion  a  sensible  thing? 
Can  it  be  felt  and  known?  If  so,  all  is  wrong  with  me.  About 
the  month  of  May,  the  work  began  to  be  visible.  During  the 
«ummer,  a  great  many  in  that  congregation  were  awakened, 
and  nine  or  ten  professed  to  experience  the  love  of  Jesus.  On 
the  fourth  Sabbath  in  July,  1798,  the  sacrament  was  administer- 
ed at  Gasper  riven — Oa  Monday  God  poured  out  his  Spirit  in  a 
remarkable  manner.  The  awakening  work  was  very  generaf, 
and  there  were  Imt  few  families  in  the  congregation,  where  there 
were  not  more  or  less  seriously  alarmed.  At  Muddy  river,  oa 
the  first  Sabbath  in  September,  the  sacrament  was  administered* 
At  this  time,  divine  power  seemed  to  attend  the  preaching  of  the 
word,  and  a  general  solemnity  was  visible.  About  this  period, 
the  work  spread  through  all  the  congregations.  Deep  concern 
appeared  in  almost  every  company,  and  every  family.  A  great 
many  were  deeply  and  solemnly  awakened:  and  a  goodly  num- 
ber professed  to  experience  a  sweet  sense  of  pardoned  sin.  In 
July,  1799,  at  the  sacrament  on  Red  river,  the  power  of  God 
was  manifested  in  a  very  general  awakening  of  the  unconvert- 
ed; and  a  few  precious  gouls  felt  happy  in  the  pardoning  love  of 
Jesus.  At  Gasper  river  sacrament  in  the  month  of  August,  espe- 
cially on  Monday,  God  poured  out  his  Spirit  in  a  wonderful  man- 
ner. Great  numbers  were  struck  to  the  ground,  and  made  to  cry 
for  mercy,  as  the  condemned  malefactor  would  fo^r  a  pardon. 
Several  persons  were  filled  with  joy  and  peace  in  believing;  and 
in  a  few  weeks,  about  twenty  professed  to  feel  uving  rejligon* 
At  Muddy  river  sacrament,  in  September,  the  power  of  God 
was  eqaally  visible.  Sinners  were  powerfully  awakened;  a  few 
precious  souls  were  happily  converted;  and  the  souls  of  God's 
people  were  filled  with  the  consolations  of  the  Spirit,like  old  bot- 
tles filled  with  new  wine.  In  the  year  1 800,  the  work  appear- 
ed with  greater  power,  and  produced  greater  effects,  thaa  th« 

57 


47S  VINJMCATIOlf    OF    TKK   XXKRCI8ES   IM 

present  generation  ever  before  witnessed.  At  Red  river  sacra- 
ment, in  June,  ten  persons  professed  to  experience  a  living 
change.  At  Gasper  and  other  places  where  the  Lord's  supper 
was  administered,  multitudes  attended  from  a  great  distance; 
and  whole  days  and  nights  were  spent  in  the  most  solemn  man- 
ner. Some  rejoicing  and  praising  God — some  in  agony,  crying 
for  mercy — while  others  just  delivered  from  their  burden,  were 
speaking  the  language  of  heaven,  and  telling  the  great  things 
the  Lord  had  done  for  them.  Many  persons  from  the  Cumber- 
land settlements  attended  at  Gasper,  who  came  to  see  the  strange 
work,  of  which  they  had  heard  so  much.  Here  some  of  them 
felt  it  in  their  own  souls,  and  experienced  its  converting  power: 
and  by  this  means  the  divine  flame  was  spread  througout  all 
Cumberland. 

It  was  supposed  that,  at  Gasper,  about  forty  five  persons  pro- 
fessed to  obtain  religion;  at  Muddy  river  sacrament,  where  the 
work  was  equally  powerful,  about  fifty;  at  the  Ridge,  about  for- 
ty five:  and  atShiloh,  about  seventy. 

Time  would  fail  to  mention  the  rapid  progress  of  the  work 
through  the  settlements  of  Cumberland  and  Barren,  and  along 
the  banks  of  the  Ohio.  To  relate  the  circumstances  of  the  work 
present  year,  1801,  is  unnecessary,  since  it  is  as  great  during  the 
and  powerful  as  last  year.  This  is  a  short  statement  of  the 
work.     We  will  proceed — 

IL  To  describe  some  of  its  effects,  which  prove  it  to  be  a 
work  of  divine  power. 

The  first  effect  we  will  mention,  is  a  deep,  rational  and  scrip- 
tural conviction.  Ke  who  is  a  subject  of  this  work,  is  brought 
by  the  preaching  of  God's  word,  to  see  the  extent,  the  strictness, 
and  spiritality  of  his  law;  and  by  a  feeling  conviction,  he  dis- 
covers that  he  has  spoken  God's  law  days  without  number.  He 
sees  his  life  one  continued  scene  of  sin  and  rebellion  against 
God;  and  we  find  that  this  conviction  is  of  an  increasing  nature. 
The  man  is  first  convinced  of  the  sins  of  his  external  conduct; 
then  the  sins  of  his  nature;  afterwards  the  sins  of  his  duties;  and 
last  of  all,  he  feels  to  the  very  heart,  the  horrible  guilt  and  un- 
conquerable power  of  unbelief.  It  is  also  a  very  painful  con- 
viction. The  person  feels  his  situation  intolerable.  He  groans, 
and  prays,  and  cries  for  mercy;  and  often  he  feels  his  guilt  such 
an  insufferable  burden,  that  his  bodily  strength  fails,  and  he 
falls  to  the  ground,  in  appearance  breathless  and  lifeless. 

2nd.  When  he  is  dead  to  all  hope  in  himself,  and  lies  on  the 
very  brink  of  destruction,  he  is  delivered  by  a  view  of  the  glory, 
sufficiency,  and  willingness  of  Christ  to  save.  Our  young  con- 
verts, the  subjects  of  this  work,  very  frequently  tell  us  of  the 
beauty  and  loviness  which  they  behold  in  Christ — what  a  full- 
ness there  is  in  him;  yea,  a  sufficiency  for  all  the  world,  if  they 


THB   REVIVAL   OF    1800.  r  4715 

would  come.  They  see  such  a  willingness  in  him  to  save,  that 
none  who  come  to  him  shall  perish.  They  speak  of  the  hate- 
ful and  abominable  nature,  which  they  discover  in  sin,  and  the 
heavenly  peace  and  joy,  felt  under  a  sense  of  the  love  of  Jesus. 
Now,  is  this  not  the  blind  seeing,  the  deaf  hearing,  and  the 
raising  of  the  dead  to  life  ? 

3d.  A  third  effect  produced  by  this  work  upon  all  who  are 
subject  to  it,  is  a  loving,  benevolent  disposition.  The  moment 
they  discover  the  glory  of  the  Redeemer,  and  feel  his  love  shed 
abroad  in  their  souls,  their  hearts  bleed  with  pity  for  poor  sin- 
ners. With  what  zeal,  with  what  fervency,  love  and  compass- 
ion, do  they  warn  them  of  their  danger,  and  that  Christ  is  will- 
ing to  save  them;  with  what  importunity  do  they  plead  with 
them  to  come  to  Christ — to  give  him  their  hearts — and  feel  the 
sweetness  of  his  love. 

4th.  Another  effect  is  a  knowledge  of  Christ  and  divine  things, 
of  which  the  person,  before,  was  ignorant.  I  have  heard  little 
children,  when  they  were  delivered  and  had  first  obtained  sweet 
views  of  Christ,  describing  the  glories  of  Immanuel — the  beau- 
ties of  the  plan  of  salvation — the  all-sufficiency  of  the  divine 
Saviour;  and  at  the  same  time,  recommending  him  to  sinners  in 
language  so  rational,  so  scriptural,  and  yet  so  sweet  and  heaven- 
ly, that  I  have  felt  mortified  and  humble  beside  them,  and  could 
not  by  any  means,  have  spoken  upon  these  subjects,  unless  at 
the  moment,  1  experienced  some  of  the  same  lively  views  and 
exercises. 

5th.  Another  effect  is  that  produced  on  the  hearts  and  lives 
of  the  genuine  subjects  of  the  world.  To  see  him  who  frolic- 
ed  and  danced,  become  the  humble,  praying  christian;  to  see 
the  drunkard,  the  swearer,  and  the  gambler,  leaping  and  prais- 
ing God,  and  telling  what  the  Lord  has  done  for  their  souls;  to 
see  the  profane  scoffer  at  God  and  religion,  praying  in  secret — 
praying  in  his  family — and  walking  in  the  ways  of  God's  com- 
mandments:— I  say,  are  not  all  these  things  taken  together,  the 
blind  receiving  their  sight,  the  deaf  hearing,  the  lame  walkmg, 
the  cleansing  of  the  lepers,  and  the  raising  the  dead  to  life? 

III.  Account,  upon  principles  of  reason,  and  from  scripture, 
for  many  strange  appearances  attending  this  work. 

Says  the  prejudiced  mind,  about  this  work  are  many  stranfye 
things — altogether  new  to  me — I  cannot  understand  them — and 
don't  approve  of  them. 

1  St.  This  falling  down,  and  lying  cramped,  as  if  without  breath 
or  life: — this  I  do  not  understand — can  it  be  an  operation  of 
God's  Spirit? 

I  answer — This  may  be  accounted  for  upon  principles  of 
plain  reason.  So  intimate  is  the  connexion  between  the  soul 
and  body,  that  it  is  nothing  strange  if  a  man,  filled  with  an  un- 


<474  flNDlCAtlM   Oy  TUB  ■XBKCIlBt  IH 

common  sense  of  terror  and  divine  wrath,  or -with  an  uncom- 
mon share  of  heavenly  comfort,  should  iall  to  the  ground  and. 
his  bodily  strength  be  overcome.  Edwards  in  his  sermon  on  the 
distinguishing  marks  of  a  work  of  God;  expresses  himself  in  such 
language  as  this:  Were  God  to  give  the  sinner  a  discovery  of 
his  state  as  it  really  k,  he  would  not  only  fall  to  the  ground, 
but  sink  dead  upoa  the  spot..  Or  if  he  were  to  let  the  streams 
of  divine  glory  flow  into  the  pardoned  believing  soul,  in.  the 
same  measure  that  they  flow  in  upon  the  glorified  spirits  in  heav- 
en,— he  would  not  only  fall  to  the  ground,  but  the  clay  vessel 
would  burst — and  permit  the  soul  to  escape  to  climes  of  pure  de- 
light. But  falling  to  the  ground,  either  under  uncommon  im- 
pressions of  terror  or  comfort,  is  exactly  scriptural  and  support- 
ed by  many  examples.  Paul  ^fell  to  the  earth"  and  '•Hrembling 
and  astonished, said^  Lord,  what  wilt  thou  have  me  to  do?"  The 
jailor  ^^came  trembling  and  fell  down,"  saying  *^What  must  I  do 
to  be  saved?"  And  Habakkuk,  speaking  of  the  majesty  of  God,^ 
cries  out,  "iWy  belly  trembled;  my  lips  quivered  at  the  voice;  rot- 
tenness entered  into  my  bones,  and  J  trembled  in  myself,"  The 
prophet  Daniel,  giving  an  account  of  a  discovery  which  he  had 
of  Christ,  and  telling  how  he  was  affected,  says,  ^^  There  remain' 
ed  nor  stength  in  me;  for  my  comeliness  was  turned  irUo  corrup- 
tion, and  retained  no  strength."  The  apostle  John,  speakiag^  of 
a  similar  manifestation  of  divine  glory,,  says,  ^^And  when  I  saw 
him,  I  fell  at  his  feet  as  dead." 

2nd.  But,  says  the   objector,  I  cannot  understand  these  ve* 
hement  shrieks,  and  hideous  outcries.. 

Strange,  indeed  t  that  you  cannot  account  for  a  condemned 
sinner's  crying  6ut  for  mercy,  when  filled  with  the  terror  of  the 
Almighty.  You  are  not  surprised  to  hear  an  offending  slave, 
under  the  i-od  of  an  angry  master,  crying  for  mercy;  nor  do  you 
think  it  at  all  uncommon  for  a  poor  captive  to  beg  for  life  and 
delivtirance  from  a  conquering  enemy  who  holds  him  in  his  pow- 
er. But  yet  you  think  it  very  strange  that  a  guilty  sinaer  should 
-be  afraid  ofan  angry  God,  or  roar  loud  for  mercy,  when  he  sees 
hell  gaping  to  receive  him.  Edwards  in  the  sermoa  before 
mentioned  makes  this  observation :  "Were  a  person  suspended 
over  a  deep  pit  filled  with  devouring  flames,  by  a  sns&,U  cord 
just  ready  to  break,  would  it  seem  strange  to  hear  him,  scream- 
ing and  cry  out  for  deliverance?  Then,  should  it  seem  strange 
to  see  a  guilty  sinner,  hanging  over  the  bottomless,  flaming  pit 
of  hell  by  the  brittle  thread  of  life,  and  that  thread  in  the  hand 
ofan  angry  God, — to  see  him  cry  out  for  mercy,  in  most  extreme 
anguish?"  The  command  of  the  king  of  Nineveh  to  all  his  sub- 
jects, as  related  in  Jonah  was  to  "cry  mightily  unto  God."  And 
David,  though  a  dear  child  of  God,  in  the  hour  of  desertion 
and   temptation,  cried  and  roared   out  for  deliverance.    The 


THE  ftlTIVAL  •»    1800.  47f' 

three   thousand  conTicted  under  Peter^s  sermon  cried,  sa)'Mig^ 
*^Men  and  brethren,  what  shall  we  do  ?" 

3rd.  But  again,  says  the  objector,  this  boisterous  noise  and 
confusion.,  which  abound  in  the  multitude  in  the  time  of  this 
work,  always  offends  me,  and  I  think  it  forbidden  by  the  apostle 
in  the  1 4th  chapter  of  L  Corinthians. 

What  the  apostle  there  forbids,  is  a  confusion  of  exercises,  in 
the  time  of  divine  worship,  which  does  not  apply  to  the  present 
case.     The  exercise  which  you  deem  confusion,  always  comes 
after,  or  at  the  close  of  public  worship,  and  is  commonly  the  ef- 
fects produced  by  public  preaching.     When  the  congregation 
is  dismissed,  were  the  multitude  to  scatter  home  with  the  same 
impressions  upon  their  minds,  the  confusion  would  be  the  same. 
Some  would  be  singing,  some  praying,  some  rejoicing,  some 
crying  for  mercy,  and  others  telling  the  great  things  the  Lord 
had  done  for  their  souls.     All  the  difference  is,  the  people  under 
these  exercises,  stay  upon  the  ground,  which  brings  the  various 
exercises  together.     When  the  congregation  is  dismissed,  pub- 
lic worship  is  over ;  and  if  the  people  chose  to  stay  at  the  place, 
to  converse  together,  to  sing,  and  pray,  and  exhort  one  another, 
where  is  the  confusion?     As  ^^Iron sharpeneth  iron,  so  the  face  of 
a  man  sharpeneth  the  countenance  of  his  friend.^^     Their  exer- 
cises and  feelings  beget  new  impressions  upon  others;  for  those 
deeply  impressed  with  the  importance  of  their  own  salvation, 
and  filled  with  joy  for  the  pardon  of  sin,  are  prone  to  talk  upon 
these  subjects  to  their  thoughtless  children,  friends  and  neigh- 
bors.    This  strikes  them  with  deep  canvictions,  and  the  exer- 
cises increase — and  all  the  time  God's  work  is  progressing  on- 
ward in  perfect  order,  although  all  appears  disorder  and  confu- 
sion to  the  carnal  eye.     Just  such  examples  of  confusion  I  will 
shew  you  recorded  in  the  word  of  God.     Observe  the  conduct 
of  the  church,  after  the  captivity,  when  the  foundation  of  the  se- 
cond Temple  was  laid.     "The  ancient  men,  that  had  seen  the 
first  house,  when  the  foundation  of  this  house  was  laid  before 
their  eyes,  wept  with  a  loud  voice,  and  many  shouted  aloud  for 
for  joy;  so  that  the  people  could  not  descern  the  noise  of  the 
the  shout  of  joy,  from  the  noise  of  the  weeping  of  the  people ; 
for  the  people  shouted  with  aloud  shout,  and  the  noise  was  heard 
afar  off."     At  the  close  of  Peter's  seimon,  three  thousand  were 
converted  and  baptized;  and  no  doubt  but  four  or  five  thousand 
in  all  were  convicted.     What  a   strange  appearance,  suppose 
you,  it  would  be,  to  see  so  large  a  body  at  the  close  of  a  sermon, 
with  hearts  wrung  with  anguish,  crying  out,  ^^Men  and  hrethreny 
what  shall  we  do i"'     Would  this  not  be  confusion  indeed? 

4th,  There  is  another  exercise  among  the  people  altogether 
new  to  me :  that  of  persons  being  so  deeply  and  painfully  dis- 
tressed about  sinners  in  their  unconverted,  or  (as  they  call  it) 
dreadful  state. 


476  TINBICATION    ©F  THB    KXERCISKS    IN 

This  exercise  is  entirely  rational:  our  own  experience  teach- 
es us,  that  there  is  a  tender  sympathy  in  human  nature,  by  which 
good  men  are  often  atfected  with  the  miseries  and  distresses  of 
their  fellow  creatures.  Is  it  strange,  then,  that  christians,  who 
have  felt  the  terrors  of  an  ungodly  state,  and  who  have  clear 
views  of  the  narrow  escape  which  they  have  made  from  the  jaws  of 
damnation,  should  be  burdened  and  painfully  distressed  for  their 
friends  and  neighbors — whose  wretched  and  deplorable  state 
they  behold — and  whom  they  see  earless  and  unconcerned  upon 
the  trembling  brink  of  hell?  But  it  is  in  accordance  with  scrip- 
tural record.  The  prophet  Jeremiah  describes  this  very  exer- 
cise: ^^Ask  ye  now^  and  see  whether  a  man  doth  travail  with  child; 
zvherefore  do  I  see  every  man  with  his  hands  on  his  loins,  as  a  wo- 
man in  travail^  and  all  faces  are  turned  into  paleness?''''  Isaiah 
speaks  of  this  exercise  as  comman  to  all  the  people  of  God. — 
'•''For  as  soon  as  Zion  travailed,  she  brought  forth  her  children,^^ 
By  Zion,  we  are  doubtless  to  understand  all  the  children  of  God 
— all  his  spiritual  Israel:  and  by  her  travailing,  nothing  else  than 
the  painful  anxiety  which  the  people  cf  God  feel  for  the  salva- 
tion of  poor,  lost  sinners.  The  apostle  Paul  tells  us,  that  he  had 
this  exercise  himself — '•'•I have  great  heaviness  and  continual  sor- 
row in  my  heart;  for  I  could  ivish  that  myself  were  accursed  from 
Christ  for  my  brethreii,  my  kiiismen  according  to  the  fesh''^ — ■ 
^'^My  little  children,  of  whom  I  travail  in  birth  again,  until  Christ 
be  formed  in  you,'''' 

5  th.  Many  of  these  people  pretend  to  act  faith  for  others, 
and  will  tell  us  they  receive  comfortable  answers  to  their  prayers 
for  the  conversion  and  salvation  of  other  persons. 

There  is  a  variety  of  examples  in  scripture,  and  particularly 
in  the  New  Testament  of  persons,  who  acted  faith  for  others, 
for  their  children  and  servants,  and  received  answers  to  their 
prayers  for  them.  I  might  mention  the  woman  of  Canaan  for 
her  daughter — the  centurion  for  his  servant, — and  many  other 
instances.  But  we  are  told  that  these  persons  did  not  so  much 
as  believe  that  Christ  was  the  Saviour  of  the  world.  All  they 
had  to  believe  was,  that  he  was  able  to  work  the  miracle. 

Christ  gives  a  very  different  account  of  the  faith  of  the  Cen- 
turion.— "  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  I  have  not  found  so  great  faith, 
no,  not  in  Israel.''''  not  in  John  the  Baptist — not  in  Mary,  or  Pe- 
ter, or  John,  or  in  any  of  the  apostles.  But  these  persons  acted 
faith  only  for  temporal  blessings, — no  one  can  show  scripture 
for  acting  faith  for  spiritual  blessings  for  others.  Strange,  in- 
deed, that  the  compassionate  Jesus  who  came  to  purchase  and 
bestow  spiritual  blessings  upon  the  sons  of  men,  and  never  sent 
any  one  away  disappointed,  that  came  to  him  fcr  temporal  bless- 
ings, should  yet  deny  spiritual  blessings  to  poor  sinners,  when 
his  praying  children  ask  them  in  faith:  God's  word   expressly 


THH    RBTIVAL    OF    1800.  477 

supports  the  doctrine. — Hannah  received  an  answer  to  her  pray- 
ers, and  '"''went  her  way,,  and  did  eat^  and  her  countenance  was  no 
more  sad.''"'  Good  old  Simeon  received  an  answer  to  his  prayers- 
for  it  is  said,  that  Ht  was  revealed  unto  him  by  the  Holy  Ghost, 
that  he  should  not  see  death  before  he  had  seen  the  Lord's  Christ^ 
John  asserts  the  doctrine. — "J.nrf  this  is  the  confidence  that  we 
have  in  him,  that,  if  ice  ask  any  thing  according  to  his  will,  he 
heareth  us;  and  if  we  know  that  hehearus,  whatsoever  ae  (ts,{\  we 
know  that  we  have  the  petitions  that  we  desired  of  him.  If  any 
man  see  his  brother  si^i  a  sin  which  is  not  unto  dtath,  he  shall  ask 
and  he  shall  give  /<m  life  for  them  that  sin  not  unto  death.^^ 

6th.  There  is  anotlier  thing  which  I  don't  like.     This  strange 

leaping  and  skipping  about,  when  in  apparent  ecstacies  of  joy 

which  is  called  by  some,  dancing  David's  dance. 

If  designed  and  voluntary  dancing  weie  introduced  as  an  or- 
dinance of  the  church,  your  objection  would  have  weio-ht.  The 
practice  would  be  truly  absurd  and  ridiculous.  But  such  is  not 
the  case.  There  is  not  one  motion  of  the  body  attending  this 
exercise  which  is  voluntary.  This  dance,  if  dance  it  may  be 
called,  is  entirely  involuntary,  and  produced  altogether  by  ex- 
traordinary and  overpowering  impressions  on  the  mind.  The 
person,  filled,  as  it  were,  brim-full  of  spiritual  joy  and  comfort 
in  ecstacies  of  delight  and  wonder,  skips  and  leaps  about,  scarce 
knowing  what  he  is  doing.  This  is  all  the  dance  that  attends 
the  exercise.  And  plain  precedents  of  such  dancino^  as  this  can 
be  produced  from  the  word  of  God.  When  the  ark  of  God  was 
brought  home,  such  was  the  inexpressible  joy  and  satisfaction  of 
David,  that  he  ''^danced  before  the  Lord  with  all  his  mio-ht.^^ 

Tiie  lame  man,  who  was  cured  by  Peter  and  John  at  the  gate 
of  the  Temple  called  Beautiful,  is  another  example  of  such  a 
dance:  and  this  was  the  effect  of  the  great  joy  and  comfort  of 
his  mind;  <•'- Leaping  up,  he  stood  and  walked,  and  entered  with 
them  into  the  temple,  walking,  and  leaping,  and  praising  God.'''' 

7th.  But  there  is  another  thing  objectionable.  A  wheeling 
over,  and  other  strange  agitations  of  the  body." 

This  wheeling  over  and  those  other  agitations  of  the  body 
have  nothing  in  them,  either  physically  or  morally,  evil.  I 
would  ask  the  prejudiced  mind,  if  any  command  of  God  is  bro- 
ken by  these  exercises.  I  presume  none  at  all.  If  no  command 
is  broken  by  these  exercises,  and  they  have  nothing  in  them 
physically  or  morally,  evil,  then,  your  objections  are  triflincr^ 
and  groundless,  and  you  have  no  reason  to  be  offended  by  what 
is  ianoc  mt  and  harmless.  To  ascertain  whether  persons  thus 
agitated  are  under  the  influence  of  the  Divine  Spirit,  is  to  find 
out  the  views  and  exercises  of  their  minds  at  such  times;  and  if 
they  are  rational  and  scriptural,  it  is  a  matter  of  no  consequenc* 


479  TIIfDICATION   «r  THS  aXBRCltKI  IH   &e» 

what  their  bodily  motions  are,  or  whether  they  tave  any  at 
all. 

8th.  I  frequently  see  those  who  profess  to  be  happy  and  com- 
fortable, smiling  and  laughing.  Such  conduct  I  think  too  light 
and  unbecoming  the  exercises  of  religion. 

It  is  evident  that  laughi»g  proceeds  from  a  principle  implant- 
ed in  human  nature  by  tk*  Creator.  If  so,  men  would  have  had 
the  same  proneness  to  laughter,  if  sin  had  never  entered  the 
world.  Now,  it  so  happens,  that  we  sinful  creatures,  seldom 
laugh,  unless  at  something  wicked,  or  at  the  weakness  and  infir- 
mities of  our  fellow  creatures.  But  if  sin  had  not  been  introduc- 
ed into  the  world,  there  would  have  been  no  sinful  laughing;  for 
there  would  have  been  no  wicked  or  foolish  object  to  have  laugh- 
ed at.  Well,  if  there  had  been  no  sin,  man  would  have  had  the 
same  propensity  to  laugh  as  now;  and  what  would  have  excited 
his  laughter?  Doubtless  the  joy  and  satisfaction  they  would 
have  found  in  the  love  of  God.  If  joy  and  satisfaction  would 
have  excited  laughter  then,  why  may  it  not  now?  But  it  is 
scriptural  also,  that  God's  children  should  rejoice,  and  even 
laugh,  under  sweet,  comfortable  exercises.  When  Abraham  re- 
ceived a  sweet  promise  from  God  and  believed  it,  he  "/e^/  on  his 
face  and  laugheiV^  ^^They  that  sow  in  tears,  shall  reap  in  joy*"* 
^^Behold,  God  will  not  cast  away  a  perfect  man,  neither  will  he 
help  the  evil  doers  j  till  he  Jill  thy  mouth  with  laughter,  and  thy  lips 
with  rejoicing"  ^^Blesstd  are  ye  that  weep  now,  for  ye  shall 
laugh*'' 


SERMON  XLI. 


THB  BiniMUlIfCC  OF  TfiTE  ^RTOBK  OF  OOS. 


^*  There  is  an  accursed  thing  in  the  midst  of  thee^  O  Israel:  thou 
canst  not  stand  before  thine  enemies,  until  ye  take  away  the  aecur- 
sed  thing  from  among  yoiW^    Joshua  vii,  13. 


Thm  life  of  the  believer  in  this  world,  is  compared  verj  fitly 
to  a  warefare:  for  he  has  to  encounter  principalities  and  powers, 
and  fight  his  way  to  his  heavenly  inheritance.  Though  feeble, 
and  helpless  of  himself,  he  has  to  combat  with  all  the  powers 
of  hell — with  all  the  subtlety  of  Satan,  aud  with  the  powerful 
corruptions  of  his  own  heart,  and  with  the  smiles,  frowns  and 
enticing  allurements  of  this  world :  strong  and  powerful  enemies, 
indeed  such  as  he  could  never  overcome  if  he  were  to  engage 
them  in  his  own  strength.  But  since  Jesus  Christ  is  the  captain 
of  his  salvatioi),  and  from  him  he  receives  all  power,  h«  has  suf- 
ficient encouragement  to  engage  his  enemies  and  persevere  in 
the  christian  warfare,  with  hopes  of  obtaining,  at  last,  complete 
victory  over  all  his  adversaries.  The  great  Captain  General 
over  th<;  christian's  salvation  is  the  mighty  God,  the  great  eter- 
nal uncreated  I  AM,  who  performs  his  whole  will  and  pleasure 
in  the  armies  of  heaven,  and  among  the  inhabitants  of  this 
world.  He  it  is,  who  stretched  out  the  heavens  and  laid  out  the 
foundations  of  the  earth;  whose  presence  fills  immensity  and 
i»  hose  glory  is  infinite,  and  whose  perfections  are  comprehended 
only  by  his  own  mind. 

He  created  all  things  in  heaven  and  in  earth,  visibJc  and  in- 
visible, and  upholds  universal  nature  by  his  own  Almighty  pow- 
er. His  presence  fills  the  inhabitants  of  the  heavenly  world 
with  joy,  delight  and  wonder;  and  his  wrath  burns  in  a  bottom- 
less hell  with  unquenchable  fire. 

Then,  what  need  believers  fear?  The  strength  of  the  migh- 
ty God  of  Jacob  is  engaged  to  make  them  conquerors,  over  all 
their  enemies* 

58 


458  THB    niNDRANCK    Of    THE    \TORK    OV    AtO 

But,  although  there  is  strength  sufficient  in  Christ,  and  there 
is  trca-uied  uj'  in.  him  ail  (he  fulness  of  the  Godhead, yet,  if  all 
the  children  of  God  do  not  live  near  him  and  derive  constant 
supplies  from  Christ,  by  faith,  their  enemies  will  gain  ground 
upon  them,  and  they  shall  fall  by  their  hands.  When  they  in- 
dul;:e  their  lusts,  and  suffer  sin  to  get  possession  of  their  hearts, 
the  channel  through  which  they  received  strength,  is  stopped. 
The  graces  of  the  Spirit  in  the  soul  grow  feeble,  and  they  be- 
come an  easy  prey  to  their  adversaries.  In  this  chapter,  from 
which  we  have  selected  our  text,  we  are  told  that  the  Israelites, 
after  having  taken  Jerocho,  attacked  Ai,  one  of  the  cities  of  the 
Canaanites;  but  without  success.  They  were  smitten  and  made 
to  fly  before  their  enemies,  in  the  tifth  verse  we  are  told,  that 
"//i3  men  of  Ai  smote  of  them  about  thirty  and  six  men;  for  they 
chased  them  from  before  the  gate^even  %mto  Shebarim,  and  smote 
them  ingoing  down;  wherefore  the  hearts  of  the  people  mehed,  and 
became  like  water.  And  Joshua  rent  his  c/othes,  and  fell  to  the 
earth  upon  his  face  before  the  ark  of  the  Lord,  until  the  eventide,''^ 
as  an  humble  suppliant  and  laid  the  distressing  situation  of  the 
children  of  Israel  before  God.  '•''Alas,  O  Lord  God,  whei^efore 
hast  thou  at  all  brought  this  people  over  Jordan,  to  deliver  us  into 
the  hands  of  the  Amorites  to  destroy  us?''"'  "O  Lord,  what  shall 
I  say,  when  Israel  turnelh  their  backs  before  their  enemies !  For 
the  Canaanite^  and  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  land,  shall  hear  of 
it,  and  shall  environ  us  round,  and  cut  off  our  name  from  the 
earth,  and  what  wilt  thou  do  unto  thy  great  name?''"'  The  true 
believer,  like  Joshua,  must  go  to  God  for  relief  in  every  distress, 
and  in  every  difficulty;  for  he  is  his  only  refuge  and  hiding 
place.  To  whom  shall  we  go,  says  Peter,  but  unto  thee,  for  thou 
hast  the  words  of  eternal  life. 

God  tells  Joshua  what  to  do. — "Cre^  thee  up;  wherefore  liest 
thou  thus  upon  thy  face?''''  As  if  he  should  say,  why  are  you  dis- 
tressed about  your  present  calamity?  It  is  not  sufficient  to  be 
lying  upon  your  face,  bemoaning — up  and  be  inquiring  dili- 
gently, and  seeking  the  cause  of  your  misfortune.  "Israel  hath 
sinned,  and  they  have  also  transgressed  my  covenant  which  I 
commanded  them;  for  they  have  even  taken  of  the  accursed 
thing,  and  have  also  stolen,  and  dissembled  also,  and  they  have 
put  it  among  their  own  stuff.  Therefore,  the  children  of  Israel 
could  not  stand  before  their  enemies,  but  turned  their  backs  be- 
fore their  enemies,  because  they  were  accursed;  neither  will  I 
be  with  you  any  more  except  you  destroy  the  accursed  from 
among  you.  Up,  sanctify  tlie  people,  and  say.  Sanctify  your- 
selves against  to-morrow,  for  thus  saith  the  Lord  God  of  Israel, 
there  is  an  accursed  thing  in  the  midst  of  thee,  O  Israel:  thou 
canst  not  stani  before  thine  enemies,  until  ye  take  away  the  ac- 
cursed tUiug  from  among  you." 


ths  hindramcb  or  thk  wosk  of  sod.  459 

Although  this  passage  of  sacred  scripture,  is  particularly  ad- 
dressed to  the  Israelites,  with  regard  to  the  transgression  in  the 
affair  of  Achan;  jet  it  is  truly  applicable  to  the  people  of  God 
in  all  ages,  when  in  similar  circumstances.  Therefore,  we  may 
observe. 

First,  that  the  children  of  Israel,  being  chosen  of  God  ancl 
set  apart  from  all  other  nations,  as  his  peculiar  people;  are  in 
that  respect  typical  of  the  church  of  Christ  in  all  ages  to  the 
ends  of  the  world;  the  church  is  in  scripture  termed  the  Israel 
of  God. 

V  Secondly,  That,  as  in  the  transgression  of  Achan,  as  touching 
the  accursed  thing,  God  was  provoked  in  righteous  judgment, 
to  leave  the  children  of  Israel  to  fall  before  their  enemies;  so, 
also,  when  the  people  of  God  indulge  the  accursed  thing,  sin  in 
their  hearts,  God  will  be  provoked,  to  withhold  from  them,  the 
special  influences  of  his  Spirit,  and  leave  them  to  fall  before 
their  enemies. 

Thirdly,  As  the  children  of  Israel  were  called  to  search  dili- 
gently for  the  accursed  thing  and  remove  it  from  them;  so,  also, 
the  voice  of  God  in  his  word  commands  his  spiritual  Israel  to 
search  and  try  their  hearts,  and  seek  diligently  for  the  accursed 
thing — for  every  secret  sin  and  flesh-pleasing  lust, and  cast  them 
out  from  them,  and  repent, and  mourn  and  be  deeply  humbled 
before  God;  yea,  the  voice  of  God  to  his  church  in  general,  and 
to  every  individual,  in  particular  to  every  man  and  woman  in 
this  assembly  to  day,  is,  "Thus  saith  the  Lord  God  of  Israel, 
there  is  an  accursed  thing  in  the  midst  of  thee,  O  Israel:  thou 
canst  not  stand  before  thine  enemies,  until  ye  take  away  the  ac- 
cursed thing  from  among  you." 

The  doctrines  arising  from  the  words  of  the  text  are, 

1st.  When  sin,  is  undulged  in  the  heart,  the  soul,  can  enjoy 
no  communion  with  God,  and,  therefore,  cannot  stand  before  his 
enemiei. 

2d.  It  is  the  duty  of  every  individual  professing  the  religion 
of  Jesus  Christ,  to  examine  carefully  and  search  his  heart  dili- 
gently for  the  accursed  thing,  and  cast  it  out  from  him,  no  differ- 
ence how  dear  the  object  may  be.  "O  Israel,  thou  canst  not 
stand  before  thine  enemies,  until  ye  take  away  the  accursed 
thing  from  among  you."  In  speaking  farther  from  the  subject 
"we  propose — 

I.  To  shew  who  they  are  that  indulge  in  the  accursed  things 
sin,  in  their  hearts.  ^ 

II.  Shew  the  necessity  of  a  close  examination  of  the  heart 
that  the  accursed  thing  may  be  discontinued  and  removed. 

I.  We  are  to  shew  who  they  are  that  indulge  the  accuraed 
thing  in  their  hearts. 


460  Tva  inirBRAir«w  or  tbb  work  o»  o«i>. 

And  I  entreat  jour  serious  attention,  and  beseech  you  to  gire 
yourselves  to  a  strict  examination ;  for  we  are  discussing  a  sub- 
ject very  nearly  concerning  every  one  of  you.  The  visible 
church  consists  of  two  classes  of  persons,  viz.  believers  and  un- 
believers: those  who  are  in  Christ  Jesus,  born  of  God  by  regen- 
eration :  and  those  in  a  Christless  state,  dead  in  trespasses  and 
sins.  Sin  may  be  indulged  in  both  classes — by  one,  wholly;  by 
the  other,  partially.  In  one  it  reigns  predominant  and  holds 
the  supremacy:  in  the  other  it  may  be  indulged — and  for  a 
while  obtain  a  quiet  lodging  in  the  heart,  and  stop  the  channel 
of  communication  between  Christ  and  the  soul.  In  speaking 
upon  this  division^of  the  subject,  we  shall  consider  both  these 
classes  in  order.  As  it  regards  nominal  professors  of  religion, 
who  are  in  an  unregenerate  state,  the  accursed  thing  is  in  the 
midst  of  them  and  they  are  not  only  unable  to  stand  before  their 
enemies,  but  are  under  complete  subjection  to  them. 

As  NebHchadnezzer  bound  Zechariah  in  fetters  of  brass  and 
put  out  his  eyes,  so  Satan,  the  god  of  this  world,  hath  blinded 
their  eyes  and  bound  them  fast  in  chUns,  and  is  leading  them, 
easy  and  contented,  to  the  gloomy  regions  of  the  damned.  They 
are  willing  slaves  of  their  lusts,  and  sin  has  full  dominion  over 
them. 

But  to  be  somewhat  more  particular,  we  will  observe, 

l«t«  That  there  are  many  professors  of  religion,  who  live  from 
day  to  day  without  prayer.  Are  there  not  many  of  those  who 
now  h«ar  me,  that  rise  from  slumber  in  the  morning  and  He  down 
at  night,  without  ever  praying  to  God  in  secet?  Are  there  not 
some  who  never  pray  in  their  families;  or  if  they  attempt  it  at 
all,  say  prayers  at  night,  but  constantly  neglect  it  in  the  morn- 
ing; or  perhaps,  perform  the  duty  on  the  Sabbath  and  neglect  it 
throughout  the  week!  If  this  be  the  case,  there  is  an  accursed 
thing  in  the  midst  of  yoa — ^you  are  yet  under  the  power  of  sin 
and  Satan.  A. prayerless  Christian  is  a  contradiction  of  terms. 
He  who  can  live  without  secret  prayer,  is  dead  in  a  spiritual 
sense;  for  prayer  is  the  vital  breath  of  the  heaven  born  soul.  A 
praverless  professor  is  a  Christless  sinner.  Saith  Jeremiah, 
"** Pour  out  thy  fury  upon  the  heathen  that  know  thee  not,  and 
upon  the  families  that  call  not  on  thy  name.'' 

There  are  many  professors  of  religion  who  pray  in  their  fami- 
lies, receive  baptism  to  their  children,  and  sit  at  the  Lord's 
table;  and  yet  when  a  suitable  occasion  presents  itself,  they 
can  indulge  in  the  practice  of  known  sin,  or,  at  least,  what  they 
call  small  sins;  or,  perhaps  to  quiet  conscience,  they  give  to 
such  sins  the  name  innocent  amusement.  They  practi-e  danc- 
ing, and  open  their  doors  for  it — but  this  they  call  innocent 
amusement.  They  take  a  glass  of  grog  too  much,  occasionally; 
but  this  is  done  for  companion  sake,  and  to  obtain  the  name  of 


THK   HIlfDItlllCS   W  Tin   WORK   OV   ••&.  461 

a  good  fellow.  When  abroad  with  their  waggons,  they  can 
drive  them  on  the  Sabbath.  This  is  called,  "works  of  necessity." 
Thus  by  smoothing  and  polishing  their  sins,  they  lull  conscience 
to  sleep,  and  pursue  the  gratification  of  their  lusts  with  greedi- 
ness and  delight.  Are  an)  of  this  class  here  to  day?  Let  con- 
science speak  and  answer  faithfully.  If  there  are  any  such, 
there  is  an  accursed  thing  in  the  midst  of  you — you  are  children 
of  wrath,  and  bond  slaves  to  Satan.  Says  Christ,  "z/"  ye  love 
me,  keep  my  commandments,''^  Must  he  not  be  a  Judas  indeed, 
who  profi'sses  to  love  Christ,  and  will  sit  at  his  table,  when,  at 
the  same  time,  he  can  frolic  and  dance — drink  to  excess,  and 
profane  God's  holy  Sabbath? 

3d.  There  are  many,  who  profess  to  love  Christ,  and  would 
fain  support  a  name  to  live.  They  pray,  attend  public  worship, 
and  take  the  Sacrament  of  the  Lord's  supper,  and  have  a  very 
fair  show  of  religion.  But  they  have  never  gone  farther  than 
the  outer  shell  of  godliness.  They  do  not  enjoy  the  light  of 
Gods  countenance  in  the  performance  of  every  duty — Ihey  have 
no  communion  with  God — uo  views  of  the  divine  glory,  or  a 
sense  of  the  love  of  Christ  shed  abroad  in  the  heart.  Of  these 
things  they  are  entirely  ignorant.  Talk  with  them  about  God's 
method  of  dealing  with  the  soul  in  bringing  it  from  death  unto 
life;  or  of  the  nature  of  the  operations  of  divine  grace  in  the 
heart;  or  of  the  sweet  sensations  and  comfortable  feeKngs  en- 
joyed under  the  light  of  God's  reconciled  countenance;  or  of 
the  grief  and  distress  the  soul  feels  when  He  is  absent;  they  do 
not  know  what  you  mean — they  have  no  better  idea  of  what 
you  say,  than  if  you  were  speaking  Greek  or  Hebrew.  A  sure 
«ign,  this  of  spiritual  death.  Now  examine  the  matter  well,  for 
if  this  be  the  case  of  any  of  you,  there  is  in  the  midst  of  you 
that  accursed  thing,  sin.  That  soul  which  has  not  found  more 
sweetness  in  viewing  the  divine  gloiyas  it  shines  in  the  face  of 
J«su8  Christ — which  has  not  felt  more  comfort  in  a  sense  of  the 
love  of  God  shed  abroad  in  the  heart,  than  the  men  of  this 
world  could  in  corn  or  wine,  and  riches  and  honors;  that  soul, 
I  say,  is  yet  ^^dead  in  trespasses  and  sins.^^  Profess  what  they 
may,  if  such  persons  can  go  a  round  of  external  duty,  and  satis- 
fy their  consciences  with  their  way  of  going  to  heaven,  it  is  all 
they  desire.  It  is  far  otherwise  with  the  child  of  God.  His  de- 
•ign  in  attending  to  his  duty,  is  to  enjoy  communion  with  God. — 
And  when  he  cannot  enjoy  the  presence  of  his  heavenly  Father 
in  the  appointed  ordinances,  he  is  distressed,  and  cannot  rest 
contented  until  he  obtains  a  sweet  assurance  of  his  acceptance 
with  God. 

4th.  There  are  many  calling  themselves  Christians,  who 
habitually  neglect  serious  and  close  self-examination.  Nay, 
tbejr  are  afrsud  to  know  their  own  hearts.    Thej  dare  not  ex- 


463  THK    HINDmANCS    OF    TUB    WORK    OF    OOD. 

'amine  their  hopes  to  the  foundation,  lest  they  should  see  their 
desperate  situation.  When  they  hear  practical,  soul  searching 
doctrine,  they  cannot  endure  it.  And  for  this  reason: — it  des- 
troys their  false  hopes,  and  shakes  the  sandy  foundation  upon 
which  they  are  built; — and  conscience  being  thereby  abandon- 
ed, tells  them  that  they  are  strangers  to  the  life  and  power  of 
godliness.  Sometimes,  when  conscience  is  half  waked  from  its 
slumbers,  they  are  afraid  that  all  is  not  right  with  them,  and 
perhaps  they  will  resolve  to  search  matters  to  the  bottom.  But 
when  they  begin  the  examination,  a  consciousness  of  the  sinful- 
ness^'of  their  hearts,  makes  them  draw  back  and  refrain  from  a 
thorough  search.  A  sure  evidence  that  the  accursed  thing  is 
harbored  in  the  soul.  Similar  to  this  is  the  case  of  a  man  who 
has  stolen  goods  concealed  in  his  house.  If  he  sees  a  man  com- 
ing with  authority  to  search  every  secret  crrner  and  private 
apartment,  he  feels  himself  guilty,  and  therefore  would  wish 
to  evade  the  search,  lest  the  goods  should  be  found  in  his  posses- 
sion. Suchpersons  are  described  by  our  Lord — "And  this  is 
the  condemnation,  that  light  is  come  into  the  world,  but  men 
love  darkness  rather  than  light,  because  their  deeds  are  evil. 
For  every  one  that  doeth  evil  hateth  the  light,  neither  cometh 
to  the  light,  lest  their  deeds  should  be  reproved.'' 

5th.  Many  there  are,  calling  themselves  christians  who  are 
depending  entirely  on  their  former  experience.  They  have  had 
some  convictions  of  sin,  and  perhaps  some  flashes  of  joy  and 
comfort  too,  seven,  ten,  or  twenty  years  ago.  With  this  they 
rest  satisfied,  and  maintain  a  strong  hope  of  heaven  and  eternal 
life,  without  any  further  examination  ef  the  matter.  Though 
they  enjoy  no  communion  with  God,  yet  having  once  in  their 
lives  been  burdened  and  heavy  laden  with  sin,  and  having  ex- 
perienced some  flashes  of  joy  and  comfort,  they  will  evade  all 
close,  practical  preaching.  Yea  it  is  almost  impossible  to  over- 
turn their  false  hopes,  and  bring  them  seriously  to  examine 
themselves.  If  there  are  any  such  here  to  day,  I  assure  them, 
that  there  is  in  the  midst  of  them  an  accursed  thing.  The  true 
lover  of  Jesus  cannot  rest  contentedly  in  the  dark.  What  he 
has  enjoyed  years  ago  can  no  more  satisfy  him  at  the  present, 
than  the  food  which  he  ate  months  since.  For  his  life  and 
strength  being  derived  from  Christ,  he  must  have  constant  sup- 
plies to  enable  him  to  grow  in  conformity  to  the  laws  of  God. 
Present  enjoyment  of  the  light  of  God's  countenance,  and  fresh 
discoveries  of  the  divine  glory,  he  must  obtain;  or  else  his  soul 
is  grieved  and  distressed,  and  finds  no  rest  until  these  are  ob- 
tained. 

6th.  Others  there  are  who  depend  upon  their  feelings  and 
supposed  enjoyments.  By  this  means  they  nourish  a  false  hope 
of  heaven  and  immorfeal  glory.     Now  and  then  they  have  some 


•WJtm   HIlf»aANC«   OF   TH«   WOKK   OP   ©CD.  463 

enlargements  in  prayer — some  sweet  meltings  of  affection,  and 
some  earnest  desires  after  happiness.  These  are  mistaken  for. 
communion  with  God,  and  their  hopes  are  thereby  strengthened; 
and  this  affords  them  inexpressible  satisfaction  and  comfort.  But 
this  satisfaction  and  comfort  are  not  attended  by  proper  views 
of  the  glory  of  God  as  exhibited  in  the  plan  of  salvation.  They 
are  not  attended  by  pantings  and  longings  of  the  soul  after  con- 
formity to  the  law  of  God:  nor  with  sorrow  and  grief  for  sin, 
because  it  is  dishonoring  to  God.  Let  such  persons  be  assured, 
there  is  an  accursed  thing  in  the  midst  of  them;  and,  continu- 
ing thus,  they  will  be  an  easy  an  eternal  prey  to  the  grand  ad- 
versary of  souls.  O  let  me  beseech  and  entreat  you,  to  exam- 
ine yoourselves  carefully,  and  search  for  the  accursed  thing, 
and  cast  it  from  you;  for  if  you  are  to  be  found  amongst  any  of 
these  six  classes,  you  have  every  reason  to  conclude  that  you 
are  strangers  to  Christ,  and  "f/earf  in  trespasses  and  sins.'''' 

But,  as  God's  own  dear  children  are  often  guilty  of  indulging 
sin  in  their  hearts,  it  ought  to  be  their  great  concern  to  search 
for  the  accursed  thing — to  seek  diMgently  for  every  sin  with  a 
firm  resolution  to  have  it  crucified:  for  as  long  as  sin  is  quietly 
indulged,  God  and  the  soul  can  have  no  communion  with  eacb 
other.  Says  David,  "/f  I  regard  iniquity  in  my  heart,  the  Lord 
will  not  hear  ?;ie." 

I  shall  therefore  attempt  to  point  out  some  of  these  among^ 
the  people  of  God,  who  are  guilty  of  indulging  the  accursed 
thing  in  their  hearts. 

Many  of  God's  children  are  often  guilty  of  an  inordinate  love 
of  the  things  of  the  present  world.  It  is  true  they  have  started 
upon  their  journey  toward  the  heavenly  Canaan.  They  have 
been  delivered  from  the  bondage  of  Satan,  and  from  the  enslav- 
ing power  and  dominion  of  sin.  Yet  like  the  Israelites  of  old, 
they  lose  their  appetite  for  the  heavenly  manna,  and  begin  to 
long  for  the  flesh  pots  of  Egypt.  Their  hearts  and  affections 
get  engaged  in  the  things  of  this  world,  and  they  lose  in  some 
measure,  their  relish  for  spiritual  and  divine  things.  The  world 
is  one  of  the  christian's  most  dangerous  enemies,  and  is  engaged 
in  a  continuel  war  against  his  soul.  Yet  the  world  often  intro- 
duces itself  into  his  affections,  under  the  fair  show  of  industry, 
and  is  always  attended  with  a  great  many  wants  and  necessities. 
This^  and  the  other  matters  of  necessity  engross  the  attention. 
When  God,  in  his  word  and  providence,  calls  upon  the  creature 
to  be  engaged  in  certain  duties — to  spend  such  a  day  in  attend 
ing  to  fasting  and  prayer — to  set  apart  such  a  portion  of  time 
for  serious  mediation  and  close  examination,  or  for  solemn  pre 
paration  for  the  sacrament  of  the  Supper — for  attending  tha 
preaching  of  the  gospel,  and  such  duties, — O,  says  the  world, 
God's  demandi  are  unreasoDable — you  cannot  afford  the  time; 


And  if  jou  spend  so  much  time  in  such  mattera,  your  work 
will  fall  behind,  or  you  may  loose  y«urcrop:  it  is  true  your  sal- 
vation is  a  matter  of  great  importance,  but  it  is  also  of  great 
moment  that  you  provide  for  your  family. — Therefore  disobey 
God,  and  obey  me.  When  God  calls  upon  the  creature  to  de- 
vote apart  of  his  substance  to  pious  uses, — as  the  relief  of  the 
poor  and  distressed, — says  the  world,  your  circumstances  will 
not  afford  it — you  have  little  enough  for  yourself.  And  thus  it 
is  that  God  is  disobeyed  and  the  world  idolized,  even  by  many 
of  his  own  children.  To  their  shame  be  it  spoken,  they  are 
much  more  concerned  at  heart  to  provide  food  and  raiment  for 
their  children,  than  to  provide  for  their  immortal  souls.  They 
are  often  much  more  concerned  about  their  temporal  welfare, 
than  they  are  about  where  they  will  dwell  forever.  There  is 
no  doubt  but  many  here  to-day  would  find  such  to  be  the  case  if 
they  would  only  examine  the  matter  carefully.  Let  such  be  as- 
sured that  there  is  in  their  hearts  an  accursed  thing;  and  as 
long  as  the  world  is  thus  idolized  by  them,  God  and  their  souls 
can  have  no  communion.  Let  them  speedily  remove  the  accur- 
sed thing,  lest  they  fall  an  easypray  before  their  enemies. 

2ad.  Many  true  believers  are  often  guilty  of  a  wretched  luke- 
warniness  and  formality  in  the  service  of  God.  And  what  is 
still  more  to  be  regretted,  they  are  careless  and  insensible  of 
their  situation.  They  lose  their  views  of  the  beauty  and  loveli- 
ness of  Christ.  Their  pantings  of  souls  after  holiness,  are  la- 
mentably abated — their  incessant  longing  after  glory,  are  grown 
feeble — their  affections  cold  and  their  love  weak,  and  they  can 
scarcely  be  distinguished  from  the  formal  professor,  who  has  on- 
ly a  name  to  live,  while  he  is  dead.  They  have  in  a  grert  mea- 
sure become  strangers  to  communion  with  God; — a  sad,  but  sure 
evidence  that  there  is  an  accursed  thing  in  their  hearts,  which 
provokes  God  to  keep  himself  distant  from  their  souls.  Indeed, 
lukewarmness  and  formality  among  the  people  of  God,  are 
crimes  of  the  most  aggravated  nature.  While  in  that  condition, 
in  the  first  place,  they  do  not  glorify  God  by  bringing  forth  the 
fruits  of  holiness  in  their  lives.  Let  your  light  so  shine  before 
men,  thas  they  may  see  your  good  works,  and  glorify  your  Fa- 
ther which  is  in  heaven.  If  the  people  of  God  were  only  to  live 
with  that  life  and  vigor  in  religion  which  becomes  the  children 
of  the  King  of  glory,  it  would  strike  the  ungodly  with  such  a 
conviction  of  the  reality  ofreligion,  that  their  consciences  could 
not  remain  altogether  secure.  And  in  the  second  place  when 
the  people  of  God  are  lukewarm  and  formal,  they  are  but  little 
concerned  for  the  welfare  of  Zion.  If  in  prayer  they  put  up  a 
cold  petition  for  the  Church  of  Christ,  that  is  all — they  are  but 
little  concerned  whether  they  are  answered  or  not.  Now,  is 
not  this  the  case  with  many  here  to-day.    Are  there  not  many 


Tm  RiKOkANCB  ov  inm  ^onx  or  next*  46$ 

who  are  but  little  grieved  for  the  afflictions  of  Joseph.  How  few 
will  we  find  groaning  under  a  burden  of  the  distresses  of  their 
mother,  the  church. — How  few  travailing  in  birth  for  their  un- 
godly friends  aad  neighbors,  until  Christ  be  formed  in  them  the 
hope  of  glory.  O  ye  people  of  God,  remember  from  whence  ye 
have  fallen, And  repent  and  do  your  first  works;  for  thus  saith 
the  Lord  God  of  Israel,  "T/ierew  an  accursed  thing  m  themidit 
of  thee^  O  Israel;  thou  canst  not  stand  before  thine  enemies  until 
yeput/:rway  the  accursed  thing  from  among  you.^^ 

Sd.  Many  of  the  people  of  God  often  venture  upon  the  com- 
mission of  known  sins,  to  the  dishonor  of  God,  the  polluting  of 
their  own  souls,  and  the   wounding  of  the  cause  of  religion. 
Sometimes  by  dallying  with  their  lusts,  and    attending  to  the 
wiles  and  subtle  temptations  of  Satan,  they  are  sometimes  shame- 
fully overcome  and  seduced  into  sm.     This  is  plain  from  the  in- 
stances of  David,  Peter,  and  others  in  ancient  times;  and   from 
the  sad  experience  of  many  of  God's  people  of  the  present  day. 
The  Devil  finding  the  creature  ofFhis  guard,  and  knowing  what 
temptations  are  most  likely  to  succeed,  gains  upon  the  soul,  inch 
by  inch,  till  he  gains  victory  for  a    time,  and   leads    the  poor 
captive    in  his    chains — brings  him  to  defile  his  conscience — 
dishonor  God,  and  wound  religion.     And  here  the  soul  remains, 
until  brought  to  repent  and  make  a  new  application  of  the  blood 
of  Shrist.     This  lamentable  situation  is  a  consequence  always 
of  indulging  sin — of  giving  the  accursed  thing  a  quiet  lodging  in 
the  soul.     Are  th^re  any  here  to-day  who  have  ventured  to  com- 
mit sin  in  opposition  to  the  light  and  convictions  of  their  own  con- 
sciences?    If  there  be  any  such,  are  you  living  in  that  condition 
without  repentance?     If  this  be  the  case,  be  assured   that  there 
is  an  ascursed  thing  in  the  midst  of  you,  and  you  cannot  stand 
before  your  enemies,  until  you  remove  the  accursed  thing  from 
you,  and  repent  and  turn  to  God. 

O  believers,  you  whose  consciences  tell  you  that  you  have 
committed  sin  against  the  clear  light  of  your  understanding; 
think  of  the  horrid  aggravations  of  your  guilt.  You  have  cruci- 
fied the  Son  of  God  afresh — you  have  wounded  Christ  in  the 
house  of  his  friends — you  have  injured  the  most  unparalleled  love 
and  grace.  And  is  this  your  kindness  to  the  best  of  friends? 
Does  the  loving  Jesus  deserve  such  treatment  at  your  hand? 
Search  diligently  for  the  accursed  thing,  and  remove  it  from 
you  immediately. 

4th.  The  people  of  God  are  often  guilty  of  the  heinous  crime 
of  unbelief.  When  they  are  exercised  with  grievous  afflictions, 
and  the  hidings  of  God's  countenance,  they  are  conscious  that 
they  have  otlended  the  Holy  One  of  Israel,  and  provoked  him 
to  anger.  Guilt  lies  upon  their  consciences  and  they  are  in 
darkness  upoa  every  side,     internal  corruptions  rage  and  rein 

49 


46C  THB    HIKDRANCE    OF    THB    iPfORK    Ol"    OOD, 

force  their  troops  with  new  recruits  from  hell,  while  dreadful 
storms  of  temptations,  and  the  fiery  darts  of  Satan,  beset  them 
on  every  hand.  Thus  placed,  they  spend  their  time  to  little  pur- 
pose, in  gloomy  doubts  and  unbelieving  thoughts,  calling  in  ques- 
tion the  love  of  Christ  to  their  souls,  denying  the  work  of  God 
upon  their  hearts,  and  endeavoring  to  raze  the  very  foundation 
of  their  hopes.  Or,  if  they  cannot  deny  their  former  experience 
of  the  love  of  Christ  to  their  souls, — if,  when  looking  bg.ck,  they 
are  obliged  to  acknowledge  that  at  certain  seasons  they  enjoy- 
ed the  sweet  and  camfortable  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
Then  says  unbelief,  you  have  so  abused  the  matchless  love 
of  God,  that  he  will  have  nothing  to  do  with  you — his  mer- 
cy is  now  gone  forever.  And  thus  the  poor  soul  lies  groaning 
under  its  burden,  listening  attentively  to  the  voice  of  Satan  and 
unbelief,  entering  the  most  sinful  and  ungenerous  thoughts  con- 
cerning the  loving  Jesus.  The  call  of  God  to  them  is  such  as  it 
w;is  to  Joshua: — '^Wherefore  liest  thou  on  ihy  face^''  indulging 
unbelief  in  thy  heart — spending  thy  time  in  gloomy  doubts  and 
distressing  compla.nts; — thou  hast  sinned,  thou  hast  transgressed 
my  covenant — it  is  thine  iniquities  which  separate  between  me 
and  thy  soul — there  is  an  accursed  thing  in  he  midst  of  thee, 
therefore  it  is  that  thou  canst  not  stand  before  thine  enemies, 
but  fallest  an  easy  prey  to  their  malice.  Wherefore  dost  thou 
lie  upon  thy  face,  arise  and  search  diligently  again  and  again, 
and  never  give  over  the  search  until  you  find  out  the  accursed 
thing  which  provokes  God  to  absent  himself  from  you.  Thou 
canst  not  stand  before  thine  enemies  until  the  accursed  thing  be 
removed — until  every  sin  which  is  the  cause  of  God's  displeas- 
ure, be  taken  away. 

5th.  The  people  of  God  are  guilty  ot  indulging  some  of  the 
remains  of  their  old  disposition.  Although  they  are  divorced 
from  the  law  as  a  covenant  of  works,  and  are  married  to  Christ 
by  faith,  yet  as  long  as  they  continue  in  this  world,  they  retain 
some  part  of  their  old  legal  temper;  which  inclines  them  often  to 
place  some  little  dependence  upon  their  own  works.  When  the 
child  of  God  is  called  upon  to  draw  near  to  Christ  in  the  ordi- 
nances of  divine  appointment — to  sit  at  the  table  of  the  Lord. 
O,  says  the  soul,  I  dare  not  approach  so  near  to  God  in  my  pres- 
ent frame  of  mind.  If  my  heart  was  melted  and  broken  for  sin, 
— or  if  I  had  such  and  such  heavenly  feelings,  I  could  approach. 
And  thus  he  stays  at  a  distance  from  Christ,  waiting  for  a  pro- 
per frame;  and  preparing  himself  to  come  nigh  to  his  Lord, 
When  suchis  the  cnse,  beyond  all  doubt  an  accursed  thing  is  in- 
dulged in  that  soul,  and  unless  it  be  removed,  he  and  God  can 
have  no  communion  with  each  other.  True,  no  person  ought 
by  any  means  approach  the  Lord's  table,  without  son.e  solid 
scriptural  evidence  ofa  saving  change  of  heart,  or  a  vital  union 
le  Chrift  by  faith.     But  t%  whoi»  sfapi^ldtb^  rw^l  uppLy  for  a  pro- 


THS    MIKDRaNCK   or   THE    WOliK   OF    90I>.  467 

per  frame  of  mind  except  to  Christ  himself.  First  come  to 
Christ  and  then  come  to  a  communion  table. 

6th.  Christians  are  often  guilty  of  entertaining  spiritual  pride 
in  their  hearts, — a  sin  most  hateful  to  God  and  hurtful  to  the 
soul.  Then  the  believer  cannot  be  too  careful  to  guard  against 
this  enemy.  Whenever  he  enjoys  any  liberty  and  freedom  in 
duty,  spiritual  pride  congratulates  him.  When  he  enjoys  some- 
thing of  the  light  of  God's  countenance  and  feels  his  love  shed 
abroad  in  his  heart,  says  this  crafty  enemy,  you  are  the  well  be- 
loved of  the  King  of  Heaven — your  attainments  in  religion  are 
far  above  those  of  many  of  God's  dear  children.  This  is  so  pleas- 
ing to  the  taste  of  the  carnal  heart,. that  ere  he  is  aware  the  be- 
liever begins  to  be  lifted  up  with  an  opinion  of  his  own  excel- 
lencies; and  thus  looses  his  views  of  the  excellency  and  glory  of 
divine  things;  and  provokes  God  to  leave  him  to  walk  in  dark- 
ness far  from  his  smiling  face.  But  again  when  the  poor 
creature  is  groaning  under  a  sense  of  sin  and  guilt;  and  bemoan- 
ing his  case  in  bitter  complaints  to  some  of  his  christian  friends. 
Pride  whispers,  such  a  minister,  and  such  a  pious  christian  es- 
teem you  a  dear  child  of  God — your  burdens  and  complaints  are 
considered  by  them,  real  marks  of  living  religion.  I  appeal  to 
the  experience  of  every  follower  of  the  meek  and  lowly  Jesus 
here  to  day  for  the  truth  of  these  things.  How  much  then  are 
you  interested,  in  strictly  examining  yourselves  and  expelling 
this  accursed  thing  from  your  heart. 

7th.  God's  people  are  often  guilty  of  blacksliding — fallingfrom 
their  first  love.  In  the  time  of  their  espousals  to  Christ — when 
they  closed  with  the  gospel  plan  of  salvation,  by  free  grace, 
their  affections  were  warm  and  lively  in  religion;  they  run 
with  cheerfulness  in  the  paths  of  obedience  to  God's  commands 
— their  lives  and  conversation  savored  of  nothing  but  the  vital 
power  of  godliness.  But  alas!  how  many  of  them,  lamentable 
to  tell,  fall  from  their  first  love.  In  a  great  measure,  they  loss 
the  secret  relish  they  once  had  for  spiritual  and  divine  things — 
they  grow  dull  and  formal  in  the  duties  of  religion — sometimes 
they  fall  shamefully  into  sin,  and  are  not  only  guilty  of  injuring 
their  own  souls,  but  also  of  becoming  stumbling  blocks,  over 
which  sinners  fall  into  hell.  The  faults  and  blunders  of  chris- 
tians are  indeed  of  a  bloody  nature — they  are  indeed  of  a  crim- 
son colour,  red  like  scarlet.  They  are  dyed  with  the  blood  of 
souls.  The  language  which  the  people  of  God  proclaims  to  the 
world,  by  their  conduct  in  falling  into  gross  sin,  is  such  as  this: 
"Hear  O  ye  ungodly  and  prayerless  sinners,  we  have  once  by 
faith  beheld  the  glory  and  excellency  of  Christ  Jesus;  but  he 
is  far  from  being  so  wonderful,  so  excellent  and  lovely,  as  he 
is  declared  in  God's  word.  We  have  Jesus  our  heavenly  in- 
heritance by  faith;  but  it  is  so  poor  and  mean,  that  we  ar© 


468  THX    HlMDltAlfei    09   '¥HK    ffORK    OF   OOQ^ 

obliged  to  get  a  cup  of  pleasure  from  the  Devil  to  complete  our 
happiness."  This  is  the  language  which  the  stumbling  of  chris« 
tians  into  sin,  proclaims  to  the  careless  and  ungodly  sinners; 
and  thereby  thousands  of  them  are  hardened  in  wickedness,  and 
lorced  to  the  conclusion,  that  there  is  no  reality  in  religion.  Let 
God's  backsliding  children  therefore  remember  the  love  of  their 
espousals,  and  consider  from  whence  they  are  fallen,  and  repent 
and  do  their  first  works.  Let  all  backsliders  examine  carefully 
and  search  their  hearts ;  ^^for  thus  saith  the  Lord  God  of  Israel^ 
there  is  an  accursed  thing  in  the  midst  of  thee,  O  Israel;  thou  canst 
not  stand  before  thine  enemies,  until  ye  take  away  the  accursed 
thing  from  among  you.''''  Many  other  particulars  might  be  men- 
tioned, but  it  is  not  necessary.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that  every 
sin  indulged  in  the  heart — every  darling  lust  and  flesh-pleasing 
idol  which  the  soul  is  prone  to  exercise — every  eelfish  motive 
and  wrong  act  in  the  performance  of  duty ;  is  an  accursed  thing, 
which  provokes  God  to  withhold  the  comforting  and  quickening 
influences  of  his  Spirit  from  the  soul  in  which  it  is  cherished. 

IL  We  promised  to  shew  the  necessity  of  a  close  examination 
of  the  heart,  that  the  accursed  thing  may  be  discovered  and 
removed.  But  for  the  present  this  must  be  deferred.  We  shall 
therefore  offer  a  few  remarks  by  way  of  improvement  of  what 
has  been  said. 

This  subject  calls  aloud  for  serious  self-examination  from  ev- 
ery man  and  woman  here.  Christ,  the  great  King  and  head  of 
the  Church, is  about  to  spread  his  table  in  tins  place  for  the  com- 
fort and  refreshment  of  his  children.  He  is  about  to  invite  his 
friends  to  the  feast,  to  be  refreshed  upon  the  rich  blessings  of 
the  everlasting  covenant.  Christ  himself  will  be  here  to  view 
the  feast — to  see  if  they  are  clothed  in  the  garment  of  his  right- 
eousness. And  if  any  dare  seat  themselves  at  his  table  without 
his  garment — who  have  not  put  on  Christ  by  faith,  they  may 
expect  a  frown.  Yea,  and  if  any  of  his  own  children  approach 
his  table  with  the  accursed  thing  in  their  hearts,  they  need  not 
expect  to  see  the  King's  face. 

In  the  doctrinal  part  of  this  discourse,  I  have  pointed  out  six 
classes  who  are  not  only  indulging  the  hated  thing,  but  are  also 
bor.d-?laves  to  sin  and  Satan.  These  persons  are  enemies  in 
heart  to  the  great  King  and  Master  of  the  feast;  and  coming  to 
his  table,  Judas-like,  they  will  betray  the  Son  of  God  with  a 
kiss. 

Now  I  call  upon  you  in  Gcd's  name  to  give  serious  answers 
to  the  followmg  questions:  1st.  Are  there  here  any  prayerless 
persons,  those  who  can  rise  from  their  beds  in  the  morning  and 
lie  down  on  them  at  night,  without  praying  to  God  'n  secret — 
■who  habitually  neglect  divine  worship  in  their  famiHes?  2.  Are 
there  any  professors  here,  who  indulge  themselves  in  what  i» 


THS   aiVSKAlfCB   •?   THS   WOKS   09  •OS.  469 

called  little  sins — such  as  promiscuous  dancing — taking  a  dram         ^ 
too  much  occasionally-  -profaning  God's  iioly  Sabbath,  and  tak- 
ing advantage  of  their  neighbor  in  a  bargain,  &c.?     3.  Are  there 
any  who  have  only  a  form  of  religion — whenever  spent  a  sad 
day  or  sorrowful  night  for  sin,  in  all  their  lives — who  never  had 
any  such  discoveries  of  the  divine  glory,  as  drew  and  attached 
the  soul  to  Christ,  and  have  never  known  any  thing  of  enjoying 
communion  with  God?     4th.  Any   who  neglect  constantly  to 
examine  how  matters  stand  between  God  and  their  souls;  who 
are  afraid  to  be  searched  and  tried,  lest  they  should  see  the  worst 
of  their  case,  and  be  convinced  that  they  were  destitute  of  a 
saving   change    of  nature?     5th.  Any  who  are  building  their 
hopes  of  heaven  and  immortal  bliss,  upon  some  superficial  ex- 
periences, which  they  have  had  some  twenty  or  thirty  years 
ago;  and  are  now  living  easy  and  contented,  though  they  have 
never  been  beyond  the  external  round  of  duty?     6th.  Any  who 
are  depending  upon  their  supposed  graces  and  enjoyments, 
their  liberty  in  prayer  and  good  frames  of  mind:  and  yet  are 
strangers  to  a  knowledge  of  the  exceeding  sinfulness  of  sin — 
who  have  never  felt  any  incessant  breathings  of  the  soul  after 
holiness,  because  of  its  intrinsic  beauty  and  loveliness?     Now  if 
there  be  here  to  day,  any  of  these  six  classes,  they  may  be  as- 
sured, that  they  are  enemies  at  heart  to  the  great  master  of  the 
feast.     If  they  approach  his  sacred  table  they  will  defile  his  holy 
ordinance,  and  eat  and  drink  damnation  to  themselves.     There 
is  an  accursed  thing  in  the  midst  of  such  persons,  even  an  old 
accursed  false  hope,  which  must  be  cut  off  and  razed  to  the  very 
foundation,  before  God  and  their  souls  can  be  reconciled.     Iii 
their  soul  sin  reigns  predominant  and  supreme,  and  they  cannot 
partake  of  the  Lord's  supper  without  incurring  the  displeasure 
of  God. 

But  the  children  of  God,  also,  are  called  upon  to-day,  to  ex- 
amine and  make  strict  search  for  the  accursed  thing,  and  to  put 
away  from  them  every  dear  lust  and  flesh  pleasing  idol  which  y^ 
is  indulged  in  their  hearts.  For  if  they  approach  the  Lord's  ta- 
ble, with  such  vile  sins  in  their  hearts,  God  will  be  oifended  and 
Christ  will  be  wounded  afresh. 

The  believer  should  search  every  secret  place  of  his  heart, 
lest  the  Babylonish  garment,  or  the  wedge  of  gold  should  remain 
among  their  stuff — lest  some  small  sin  should  be  concealed  there. 
For  if  the  accursed  thing  is  not  taken  away,  your  souls  will  en- 
joy no  communion  with  God;  and  your  spiritual  enemies  will 
gather  strength  and  you  will  not  be  able  to  stand  before  them. 
Nay,  you  will  turn  your  back  upon  them  and  fall  an  easy  prey 
to  the  great  adversary. 


SERMON  XLII. 


THIC  BIBIiE   A   REVELATION  FROM  BCEAVEIV.* 

^''Happy  is  the  man  thatjindeth  wisdom.''''     Prov,  iii.  1 3. 

-<5>- 

What  is  wisdom?  Sheridan  says  it  is  "the  power  of  judging 
rightly."'  Metaphysicians  pronounce  it  to  be  "Knowledge  and 
prudence  united" — knowledge  to  understand  the  nature,  and  pru- 
dence to  direct  the  proper  use  of  this  knowledge. 

In  a  religious  sense,  wisdom  is  to  know  God  and  do  his  will. 
^''The  fear  of  the  Lord  is  the  beginning  of  wisdom;  a  good  under- 
standing have  alllhey  that  do  his  commandments.''^  ^^Behold^  the 
fear  of  the  Lord^  that  is  wisdom.;  and  to  depart  from  evil  that  is 
wisdom;  and  to  depart  from  evil  that  is  understanding.'''' 

To  know  God  and  do  his  ivill,  is  true  happiness.  It  is  the  un- 
erring path,  leading  to  everlasting  bliss.  ''''Happy  is  the  man  that 
Jindeth  wisdom.'" 

This  plainly  supposes — 1st.  That  mankind  by  nature,  have 
not  wisdom:  consequently,  they  are  destitute  of  the  knowledge 
of  true  happiness;  for  finding,  signifies  the  obtaining  something 
which  we  had  not,  before. 

2d.  That,  to f7id  wisdom  and  obtain  happiness,  rational  means 
must  be  used  with  diligence  and  perseverance.  Alas!  If  the 
knowledge  of  God  and  obedience  to  his  will,  be  true  happiness, 
how  few  are  there  that  find  it.  The  sons  of  men  are  in  all  the 
eager  pursuit  of  happiness.  And  but  few  find  true  happiness, 
because  they  seek  for  it  whert  it  is  not  to  be  found.  It  is  sought 
in  the  ball  room — in  the  bottle,  and  at  the  card  table;  but  it  is  not 
there.  Some  seek  for  it  in  riches — others  in  honor,  promotion 
and  popularity — but  there  it  is  not  to  be  found.  Because  these 
are  the  paths  in  which  God  designed  it  never  should  be  found. 
The  only  way  is  that  which  God  has  revealed  in  his  written 
word. 

*Some  of  the  matter  contained  in  this  Sermon,  is  the  same  with  that 
of  the  first  t'ermon  in  the  first  volume;  but  as  this  is  evidently  superi- 
or to  that,  the  Editor  thought  it  advigabl©  to  publiwh  iu 


TBK   BIBLU    A   fcKTttA.T10Tf   FJlOM   VKaVIK.  471' 

But  some  say  that  reason  and  the  Hght  of  nature,  unassisted 
by  a  divine  revelation  are  a  sure  guide  to  happiness. 

To  this  1  answer,  that  man  in  his  primitive  innocence — when 
his  reason  was  unimpaired  by  the  fall,  no  doubt,  felt  that  some 
farther  revelation  or  communication  of  the  perfections  of  the  in- 
finite God,  was  necessary  to  his  complete  happiness.  And  I 
apprehend  that  no  reasonable  man  will  deny,  that  the  human 
family  in  their  present  state  are  fallen  creatures — very  different 
from  what  they  were  when  they  came  from  the  hands  of  their 
Creator.  And  if  this  be  the  case,  fallen  and  depraved  reason 
cannot  be  a  guide  to  true  happiness. 

But  say  our  deistical  friend — Reason  and  the  light  of  nature, 
teach  us  that  there  is  a  God — one  true  and  Eternal  God,  a  be- 
ing of  all  possible  goodness  and  perfection.  1  grant  they  teach 
us  that  there  must  be  a  God  or  First  Cause  of  all  things:  but 
whether  there  be  one  or  twenty  Gods,  reason  cannot  tell.  And 
the  Deist  is  indebted  to  the  Bible  for  this  and  every  genuine 
truth,  which  his  system  contains. 

Trace  the  history  of  the  earliest  ages  of  the  world,  and  for 
hundreds  of  years,  you  will  find  no  nation  or  people  confirmed 
in  the  belief  of  the  existence  of  one  God,  save  the  Jews,  and 
they  obtained  it  by  revelation. 

The  Egyptians  were  a  civilized  nation — and  for  more  than 
two  thousand  years,  a  respectable  and  important  empire.  A- 
mong  them,  the  knowledge  of  letters,  Mathematics,  Philosophy 
and  other  Sciences,  originated.  But  did  enlightened  reason  in- 
form them  that  there  was  but  one  God?  It  did  not.  They  had 
their  gods  Osiris  and  Isis — worshipped  oxen,  dogs  and  cats — and 
even  leeks  and  onions. 

Afterwards  Greece  and  Rome  were  the  wonders  of  the  world. 
They  were  renowned  for  wisdom  and  eloquence  —for  political, 
military  and  scientific  knowledge.  Their  learned  men  immor- 
talized their  names,  by  philosophic  researcees.  Did  their  refin- 
ed and  enlightened  reason  teach  them,  the  existence  of  one  God? 
No.  They  had  hundreds,  and  for  aught  I  know,  thousands  of 
gods.  But  farther — Did  reason  and  the  light  of  nature  teach 
them,  that  their  gods  were  good  beings,  possessed  of  moral  ex- 
cellency? Read  their  poets  and  observe  the  obscene  debauch- 
eries of  Jupiter,  Apollo  and  Venus;  the  thefts  of  Mercury —the 
cruelty  and  injustice  of  Jupiter  in  detkr«Ming  Saturn  his  father, 
and  sending  him  to  hell,  while  he  usurped  his  power  as  supreme 
god.  Then,  how  does  it  come  to  pass,  that  in  the  present  day, 
reason  and  the  light  of  nature  can  so  infallibly  discover  that 
there  is  one  God,  and  He  a  being  of  infinite  goodness  ond  per- 
fection— since  man,  from  age  to  age,  for  thousands  of  years, 
with  all  their  wisdom  and  improvement,  so  grossly  erred?  The 
cause  is  this: — Few  Deists  can  be  found,  who  bave  not  had  uQm» 


472  THB   BIBLE    A    RETELATION    WROTfi 

religious  education.  Their  fathers  or  grandfathers  believed  in 
Christianity,  and  held  the  Bible  in  high  veneration.  And  al- 
though they  reject  it  as  fable,  they  are  indebted  to  it  for  every 
genuine  truth,  contained  in  their  system. 

From  these  considerations  it  is  evident,  that  reason,  in  its  fall- 
en and  depraved  state,  can  never  lead  us  to  true  happiness,'or 
teach  the  knowledge  of  God  and  his  will  concerning  us.  The 
happy  man  that  finds  wisdom,  or  the  wise  man  that  finds  true 
happiness,  has  a  surer  guide — which  is  nothing  less  than  a  reve- 
lation from  God  himself. 

In  speaking  farther  from  this  subject  I  shall  attempt — 

I.  To  shew  that  a  revelation  from  heaven  is  necessary  tolead 
man  to  true  happiness. 

II.  That  the  Bible  has  all  the  features  and  evidences  of  such 
a  revelation. 

III.  Answer  some  objections,  made  by  the  deist,  against  the 
Bible  as  a  revelation  from  God. 

I.  Shew  that  a  revelation  from  Heaven  is  necessary. 

To  illustrate  this  proposition,  we  will  state  particulars,  in 
■which  the  christian  and  deist  agree. 

1  St.  There  is  a  God — the  eternal  first  cause  of  all  things  ex* 
isting — the  Sovereign  and  Almighty  Ruler  of  the  Universe. 

2nd.  That  he  is  possessed  of  every  possible  perfection  and 
excellency. 

Sd.  That  a  world  exists — which  is,  and  has  been  inhabited 
by  a  succession  of  rational  beings. 

4th.  That  God,  the  First  Cause  created  this  world,  and  gave 
being  to  all  things  existing  upon  it. 

5th.  That  as  God  is  a  Being  of  infinite  goodness,  he  must 
have  created  man  in  his  own  image;  i.  e.  a  good  being,  free 
from  vice  and  moral  evil.  This  every  christian  believes;  and 
as  many  deists  are  men  of  education;  and  strong  mental  pow- 
ers.    I  apprehend  they  will  not  deny  it. 

6th.  If  man  came,  originally  from  his  Maker,  upright  and  ho- 
ly, it  must  appear  evident,  in  the  view  of  reason  and  common 
sense,  that  he  is  now  fallen  and  degenerate;  and  consequently, 
must  have  lost  his  original  rectitude  and  purity.  This  is  believ- 
ed by  every  christian  and  I  am  confident,  that  no  reasonable 
and  sensible  deist,  who  thinks  there  is  an  essential  difference 
between  virtue,  and  vice,  can  deny  it.  Therefore,  I  conclude, 
that  the  christian  and  deist  are  agreed  in  this  and  the  other  par- 
ticulars mentioned. 

But  that  the  necessity  of  a  revelation  from  heaven  may  ap- 
pear clearly  evident,  we  will  prove  the  fall  and  depravity  of  the 
human  race. 

That  mankind  are  degcnera,te  creatures,  that  they  have  lost 
their  original  rectitude  and  purity,  will  appear— 


FROM    HBATXN.  4.9;^ 

1  St.  From  the  vice  and  great  wickedness  which  every  where 
abound  in  the  world.  Witness  the  falsehood,  the  deceit,  the 
cheating  and  fraudulent  measures  universally  practised  in  accu- 
mulating property,  and  depriving  men  of  their  rights.  The  dis- 
sipation, swinish  drunkenness,  obscene  debauchery,  profane 
swearing,  and  horrid  blasphemies. — The  idleness,  prodigality 
and  extravagance,  by  which  men  destroy  their  characters,  their 
estates,  their  health,  their  families,  their  lives  and  their  immor- 
tal souls.  To  these  we  may  add,  the  roge,  the  malice,  the  pri- 
vate injuries,  slanders,  oppositions,  thefts,  murders,  adulteries, 
and  the  evil  disputings  and  contentious,  which  every  where  pre- 
vail. 

2nd.  Another  evidence  ot  the  fallen  and  depraved  condition 
of  man,  may  be  drawn  from  the  necessary  establishment  of  «i- 
vil  government,  and  penal  laws  to  restrain  offenders,  defend 
m€n's  lives  and  property,  and  prevent  the  world  from  becoming 
a  perfect  hell.  To  which  are  attached  civil  officers,  courts  of 
justice,  and  places  of  punishment,  viz:  Judges,  Sheriffs,  court 
houses,  jails,  penitentiaries,  pillories,  whipping-posts  and  gib- 
bets. 

id.  Again — militia  establishments,  'armies,  fleets,  artillery, 
swords,  muskets,  bayonets,  and  other  instruments  of  destruction, 
necessary  for  individuals  and  nations,  in  the  defence  of  thetr 
personal,  and  civil  and  religious  rights;  are  another  monument 
of  the  degeneracy  of  man. 

4th.  Survey  the  world  through  all  ages  and  generations  back 
to  the  earliest  period,  and  what  is  the  history  of  mankind,  but  a 
narration  of  wrongs,  cruelties,  murders  and  debauchery — an 
account  of  war,  bloodshed,  carnage  and  slaughter — then  say,  is 
man  the  creature  that  he  was,  when  he  came  from  the  hands  of 
a  pure  and  holy  God: 

6th.  Another  evidence  of  man's  fall,  is  the  base  subjection  of 
his  reason  and  mental  powers,  to  the  vicious  appetites  of  animal 
nature. 

How  common  is  it  to  see  men  of  sense  and  education,  possess- 
ed of  superior  talents,  capable  of  serving  their  country  in  the 
field  or  in  the  councils  with  dignity  and  respectability,  devoting 
themselves  as  slaves  and  dupes  to  their  filthy  appetites  and  pro- - 
pensities!  See  them  degrading  their  reason  below  the  brutes 
by  intoxication — gradually  sinking  into  contempt,  poverty,  and 
disgrace,  by  this  abomniable  practice,  until  they  become  nui- 
sances to  society.  And  others  of  equal  talents,  render  them- 
selves odious  by  the  lowest  and  most  hateful  grades  of  debauch- 
ery. 

Now  tell  me,  did  man  come  from  the  hands  of  his  Creator  at 
first,  in  this  disgraceful  form?  Or  can  reason  in  disgraceful  ser- 
vitude to  animal  propensities,  be  a  guide  to  true  happiness? 

60 


474  THK    BFBLB    A    MTBLATION 

6th.  Look  also  at  the  evils  incident  to  human  nature;  loss  of 
property,  disappointment  in  the  pursuit  of  laudable  objects,  the 
dearest  earthly  comforts  snatched  away,  and  opening  wide  av- 
enues of  sorrow  and  distress:  destructive  rains,  storms  and  tem- 
pests; droughts,  sickly  seasons,  epidemic  and  contagious  diseas- 
es, afflictions  and  death.  These  are  accidents  to  which  men  of 
every  rank  and  situation  are  liable.  And  what  can  incredulous 
reason  conjecture  them  to  be,  but  clear  evidences  of  man's  fall, 
and  the  manifestations  of  God's  displeasure  to  sin?  Truly  man, 
without  a  comfortable  hope  of  a  happy  immortality,  is  a  most 
miserable  creature! 

7th.  But  there  are  three  great  evidences  of  man's  fall  and  de- 
pravity, pointed  out  by  divine  revelation,  which  stand  imperish- 
able monuments  in  proof  of  this  truth.  1st.  That  woman  should 
bring  forth  her  offspring  in  unutterable  pain;  2nd.  that  man 
should  eat  bread  by  the  sweat  of  his  brow;  and  3rd.  that  the 
earth,  instead  of  yielding  spontaneously  those  fruits  necessary  to 
man's  comfort  and  support,  should  bring  forth  thorns  and  nox- 
ious productions. 

I  have  stated  a  variety  of  facts  which  reason  and  the  light  of 
nature,  as  well  as  divine  revelation,  acknowledge  to  be  incon- 
trovertible truths;  and  I  am  confident,  that  so  far,  the  sensible, 
rational  deist,  and  the  christian  are  agreed. 

Now,  I  propose  these  questions:  upon  what  principles  can  de- 
praved, offending  man  be  pardoned  and  reconciled  to  God,  who 
must  be  justly  offended?  How  can  a  holy  and  just  God  pardon 
sin,  and  at  the  same  time  maintain  the  honor  of  his  law,  and 
the  dignity  of  his  government?  How  can  his  justice,  as  well  as 
mercy,  be  glorified  in  the  pardon  and  salvation  of  guilty  offend- 
ing sinners?  How  can  the  polluted  sinner  be  made  holy,  and 
be  so  effectually  cured  of  the  malignant  moral  disease,  sin,  as  to 
become  the  object  of  the  love  of  God — to  enjoy  fellowship  and 
communion  with  him  upon  earth — and  be  forever  blessed  in  the 
enjoyment  of  him  in  the  future  state?  Can  reason  tell?  Can 
the  light  of  nature  suggest  apian?     No. 

Here  the  wisest  and  most  learned  deist  must  be  silent — fall- 
en and  depraved  reason,  must  either  acknowledge  the  necessity 
of  a  revelation  from  heaven — or  regard  the  Deity  as  an  unholy, 
impure  being — who  sees  little  or  no  evil  in  sin — and  has  no 
more  respect  for  the  honor  and  dignity  of  his  law,  than  the  sin- 
ner who  tramples  it  under  his  feet. 

Here  I  assert  that  reason  acknowledges  the  necessity  of  a  di- 
vine revelation.  There  is  a  secret  witness  in  the  conscience 
of  every  deist,  when  death  and  eternity  stare  him  in  the  face, 
that  such  a  religion  as  that  revealed  in  the  Bible  is  necessary  to 
make  him  happy. 


FROM    HKATRN,  475 

And  as  a  farther  proof  that  reason  and  the  light  of  nature,  do 
teach  the  necessity  of  a  revelation  from  God,  we  will  mention 
the  example  of  Socrates,  the  celebrated  Grecian  philosopher,  re- 
lated by  Dr.  Samuel  Clarke,  an  eminent  clergyman  of  England, 
in  his  "Treatise  on  natural  and  revealed  religion."  A  few  days 
before  Socrates'  death,  one  of  his  pupils  paid  him  a  visit.  In 
his  last  conversation  with  him,  he  desired  Socrates  to  give  him 
some  farther  information  upon  a  subject,  which  he  had  often 
conversed  with  him  on,  viz:  How,  or  by  what  means  the  Deity 
would  deliver  mankind  from  the  distempers  of  their  minds.  So- 
crates, after  stating  the  reasons  why  he  thought  such  a  way 
would  be  discovered  to  men,  tells  the  young  man,  that  he  could 
cenceive  of  no  other  means  by  which  it  could  be  effected,  but 
one ;  which  was,  that  the  Deity  would  send  some  extraordinary 
person  into  the  world  to  teach  the  knowledge  of  his  will,  and 
to  point  out  this  way  of  deliverance.  But  who  this  extraordin- 
ary person  was,  or  when  he  would  come,  he  could  not  tell. 

The  light  of  nature  acknowledges  the  necessity  of  divine  rev- 
elation. But  how  the  sinner  is  pardoned,  reconciled  to  God, 
and  prepared  for  eternal  glory,  the  revelation  from  God  must 
declare. 

Well,  that  despised  book,  the  Bible,  unveils  the  mystery,  and 
opens  a  door  of  hope  to  a  dying  world.  It  informs  you  that 
^^God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that 
whosoever  believeth  in  him,  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting 
life.''''  It  tells  us  that,  "/n  the  beginning  was  the  word,  and  the 
word  was  with  God,  and  the  word  was  God.''''  '•'•Who, being  in  the 
form  of  God,  thought  it  not  robbery  to  be  equal  with  God;  hut 
made  himself  of  no  reputation,  and  took  upon  him  the  form  of  a 
servant,  and  was  made  in  the  form  of  man;  and  being  found 
in  fashion  as  a  man,  he  humbled  himself,  and  became  obedient  un- 
to death,  even  the  death  of  the  cross,''''  and  that  too  ^Hhe  Just  for 
the  unjust.^''  ^^He  was  wounded  for  our  transgressions,  hi  was 
bruised  for  our  iniquities;  the  chastisement  of  our  peace  was  upon 
him;  and  with  his  stripes  we  are  healed.''''  He  gave  "Am  life  as  a 
ransom  for  many.''"'  This  despised  book  informs  you,  how  the 
healing  virtue  of  Christ's  merits  and  death  are  to  be  applied  to 
your  soul,  to  deliver  you  from  the  damning  nature  of  sin ;  and 
how  you  are  to  be  made  holy  and  prepared  for  the  enjoyment 
of  the  heavenly  state.  It  declares  that  you  must  be  converted 
by  the  power  and  agency  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  renewed  af- 
ter the  image  of  Christ;  that  God  will  write  his  law  upon  your 
hearts — that  he  w'lW  put  his  spirit  within  you,  and  cause  you  to 
walk  in  his  statutes — that  you  shall  grow  in  grace  and  the  knowl- 
edge of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  until  you  are  ripe  for 
heaven  and  eternal  blessedness.  It  declares,  that  you  shall  have 
the  comfortable  witness  of  this  divine  change — that  the  Spirit  of 


476  riNDICATlON    «F   THB    ETKRCISM    IN 

This  exercise  is  entirely  rational:  our  own  experience  teach- 
es us,  that  there  is  a  tender  sympathy  in  human  nature,  by  which 
good  men  are  often  atiected  with  the  miseries  and  distresses  of 
their  fellow  creatures.  Is  it  strange,  then,  that  christians,  who 
have  felt  the  terrors  of  an  ungodly  state,  and  who  have  clear 
views  of  the  narrow  escape  which  they  have  made  from  the  jaws  of 
damnation,  should  be  burdened  and  painfully  distressed  for  their 
friends  and  neighbors — whose  wretched  and  deplorable  state 
they  behold — and  whom  they  see  earless  and  unconcerned  upon 
the  trembling  brink  of  hell?  But  it  is  in  accordance  with  scrip- 
tural record.  The  prophet  Jeremiah  describes  this  very  exer- 
cise: ^''Ask  ye  now,  and  see  whether  a  man  doth  travail  loith  child; 
wherefore  do  I  see  every  man  with  his  hands  on  his  loins,  as  a  wo- 
man in  travail,  and  all  faces  are  turned  into  paleness?'''  Isaiah 
speaks  of  this  exercise  as  comman  to  all  the  people  of  God. — 
" j^or  as  soon  as  Zion  travailed,  she  brought  forth  her  children,'''' 
By  Zion,  we  are  doubtless  to  understand  all  the  children  of  God 
— all  his  spiritual  Israel:  and  by  her  travailing,  nothing  else  than 
the  painful  anxiety  which  the  people  cf  God  feel  for  the  salva- 
tion of  poor,  lost  sinners.  The  apostle  Paul  tells  us,  that  he  had 
this  exercise  himself — '•'•Ihave  great  heaviness  and  continual  sor- 
row in  mxj  heart;  for  I  could  wish  that  myself  were  accursidfrom 
Christ  for  my  brethren,  my  kinsmeM  according  to  the  fesh'" — - 
^^ My  little  children,  of  whom  I  travail  in  birth  again,  until  Christ 
he  formed  in  you,'''' 

5  th.  Many  of  these  people  pretend  to  act  faith  for  others, 
and  will  tell  us  they  receive  comfortable  answers  to  their  prayers 
for  the  conversion  and  salvation  of  other  persons. 

There  is  a  variety  of  examples  in  scripture,  and  particularly 
in  the  New  Testament  of  persons,  who  acted  faith  for  others, 
for  their  children  and  servants,  and  received  answers  to  their 
prayers  for  them.  I  might  mention  the  woman  of  Canaan  for 
her  daughter — the  centurion  for  his  servant, — and  many  other 
instances.  But  we  are  told  that  these  persons  did  not  so  much 
as  believe  that  Christ  was  the  Saviour  of  the  world.  All  they 
had  to  believe  was,  that  he  was  able  to  work  the  miracle* 

Christ  gives  a  very  different  account  of  the  faith  of  the  Cen- 
turion.— '•'-Verily  I  say  unto  you,  I  hart  not  found  so  great  faith, 
no,  not  in  Israel.''''  not  in  John  the  Baptist — not  in  Mary,  or  Pe- 
ter, or  John,  or  in  any  of  the  apostles.  But  these  persons  acted 
faith  only  for  temporal  blessings, — no  one  can  show  scripture 
for  acting  faith  for  spiritual  blessings  for  others.  Strange,  in- 
deed, that  the  compassionate  Jesus  who  came  to  purchase  and 
bestow  spiritual  blessings  upon  the  sons  of  men,  and  never  sent 
any  one  away  disappointed,  that  came  to  him  fcr  temporal  bless- 
ings, shculd  yet  deny  spiritual  blessings  to  poor  sinners,  when 
his  praying  children  ask  them  in  faith:  God's  word    expressly 


THB    RBTirAL    OF    1800.  47? 

supports  the  doctrine. — Hannah  received  an  answer  to  her  pray- 
ers, and  "u.'e/i/  her  way^  and  did  eat,  and  her  countenance  was  no 
more  sad.''''  Good  old  Simeon  received  an  answer  to  his  prayers- 
for  it  is  said,  that  "i7  was  revealed  unto  him  by  the  Holy  Ghost, 
that  he  should  not  see  death  before  he  had  seen  the  Lord's  Christ^"* 
John  asserts  the  doctrine. — '•''And  this  is  the  confidence  that  we 
have  in  him,  that,  if  we  ask  any  thing  according  to  his  will,  he 
heareth  us;  and  if  we  know  that  hehearus,  whatsoever  we  ask^  we 
know  that  we  have  the  petitions  that  we  desired  of  him*  If  any 
man  see  his  brother  sin  a  sin  which  is  not  unto  death,  he  shall  ask 
and  he  shall  give  him  If e  for  them  that  sin  not  unto  death.'''' 

6th.  There  is  another  thing  which  I  don't  like.     This  strange 

leaping  and  skipping  about,  when  in  apparent  ecstacies  of  joy 

which  is  called  by  some,  dancing  David's  dance. 

If  designed  and  voluntary  dancing  weie  introduced  as  an  or- 
dinance of  the  church,  your  objection  would  have  weio-ht.  The 
practice  would  be  truly  absurd  and  ridiculous.  But  such  is  not 
the  case.  There  is  not  one  motion  of  the  body  attending  this 
exercise  which  is  voluntary.  This  dance,  if  dance  it  may  be 
called,  is  entirely  involuntary,  and  produced  altogether  by  ex- 
traordinary and  overpowering  impressions  on  the  mind.  The 
person,  filled,  as  it  were,  brim-full  of  spiritual  joy  and  comfort 
in  ecstacies  of  delight  and  wonder,  skips  and  leaps  about,  scarce 
knowing  what  he  is  doing.  This  is  all  the  dance  that  attends 
the  exercise.  And  plain  precedents  of  such  dancinor  as  this  can 
be  produced  from  the  word  of  God.  When  the  ark  of  God  was 
brought  home,  such  was  the  inexpressible  joy  and  satisfaction  of 
David,  that  he  ^''danced  before  the  Lord  with  all  his  mio-ht.^^ 

The  lame  man,  who  was  cured  by  Peter  and  John  at  the  gate 
of  the  Temple  called  Beautiful,  is  another  example  of  such  a 
dance:  and  this  was  the  effect  of  the  great  joy  and  comfort  of 
his  mind;  ^^ Leaping  up,  he  stood  and  walked,  and  entered  with 
them  into  the  temple,  walking,  and  leaping,  and  praising  God.'''' 

7th.  But  there  is  another  thing  objectionable.  A  wheeling 
over,  and  other  strange  agitations  of  the  body." 

This  wheeling  over  and  those  other  agitations  of  the  body, 
have  nothing  in  them,  either  physically  or  morally,  evil.  I 
would  ask  the  prejudiced  mind,  if  any  command  of  God  is  bro- 
ken by  these  exercises.  I  presume  none  at  all.  If  no  command 
is  broken  by  these  exercises,  and  they  have  nothing  in  them 
physically  or  morally,  evil,  then,  your  objections  are  trifling^ 
and  groundless,  and  you  have  no  reason  to  be  offended  by  what 
is  innocnt  and  harmless.  To  ascertain  whether  persons  thus 
agitated  are  under  the  influence  of  the  Divine  Spirit,  is  to  find 
out  the  views  andexercisos  of  their  minds  at  such  times;  and  if 
they-are  rational  and  scriptural,  it  is  a  matter  of  no  consequeac* 


478  THE    BIBLK    A    REVELATION 

Evangelists;  then  read  the  history  of  its  destruction  writen  by 
Flaviua  Josephus,  an  unbelieving  Jew;  and  the  event  shews  the 
accomplishment  of  the  prophecy. 

I  would  earnestly  request  every  candid  inquirer  alter  truth, 
for  further  light  upon  this  subject,  to  read  with  unprejudiced 
mind   Bishop  Newton's  "Dissertation  on  the  Prophecies." 

3d.  It  is  very  clear  that  the  Bible  is  the  revelation  of  God: 
because  all  its  commands  and  precepts  are  founded  on  the  rea- 
son and  propriety  of  things.  Look  at  the  law  of  the  ten  com- 
mandments, given  at  Mount  Sinai.  Can  any  thing  be  more 
reasonable,  just  and  proper?  When  summed  up  in  two  tables; 
the  first  is,  ''•Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  hearty 
and  with  all  thy  soul  and  with  all  thy  mind.''''  Now  let  reason 
and  the  light  of  nature  speak — is  it  not  right  and  fit  in  the  na- 
ture of  things,  that  we  should  love  infinite  excellence,  beauty 
and  perfection  with  all  our  hearts  and  with  all  our  souls?  The 
second  table  of  the  divine  law,  "TTjom  shalt  love  tliy  neighbor  as 
thyself.''''  Look  at  the  explanation  given  of  this — given  by  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  prophets,  and  the  apostles;  and  is  any 
thing  more  reasonable — better  calculated  to  promote  the  gener- 
al good  of  society?  '•''What  doth  the  Lord  require  of  thee^  but  to 
do  justly,  and  to  love  mercy,  and  to  walk  humbly  before  God?'''' 
"  Whatsoever  you  ivould  that  inen  should  do  to  you,  do  ye  even  so 
to  them.'''' — That  is,  treat  every  man's  character,  person  and 
property,  as  you  would  have  him  treat  your  owu.  Fulfil  all 
your  contracts,  and  pay  all  your  debts,  as  you  would  that  men 
should  pay  you.  Do  good  to  all  men  as  you  have  opportunity, 
This,  my  friends, is  the  religion  of  Jesus:  these  are  the  despised 
principles  of  Christianity. 

4th.  God  is  the  author  of  the  Bible,  because  its  doctrines  are 
calculated  to  suppress  vice  and  wickedness,  and  promote  virtue 
and  happiness. 

The  Bible  denounces  the  most  dreadful  penalties  against  the 
wicked — declaring  the  wrath  and  curse  of  God,  the  eternal 
pains  and  torments  of  hell,  as  the  just  desert  of  every  sin  of 
thought  word  or  action.  But  promises  the  smiles  and  favor  of 
God,  the  consolations  of  the  Spirit  in  the  present,  world  and 
eternal  and  indescribable  blessedness  in  the  world  to  come:  as 
the  reward  of  virtue  and  holiness.  "Know  ye  not  that  the  un- 
righteous shall  not  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God?  Be  not  de- 
ceived; neither  fornicators,  nor  Idolators,  nor  adulterers,  nor 
effeminate  nor  abusers  of  themselves  with  mankind,  nor  thieves, 
nor  covetous,  nor  drunkards,  nor  revilers,  nor  extortioners,  shall 
inherit  the  kingdom  of  God."  "Now  the  works  of  the  flesh  are 
manifest;  which  are  these;  adultery  fornication  uncleanness, 
lasciviousness,  idolatry,  witchcraft,  hatred,  variance,  emulations, 
wrath,  strife,  sedition,  heresies,  envyings,  murders,  drunkenness, 


FROM    KBAVEN.  479 

revellings  and  such  like;  of  the  which  I  tell  you  hefore,  as  I 
have  also  told  you  in  time  past,  they  that  do  such  things,  shall 
not  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God."  "But  the  fearful,  and  unbe- 
Heving,  and  the  abominable,  and  murderers,  and  whoremongers, 
and  sorcerers,  and  idolalors  and  all  liars,  shall  have  their  part 
in  the  lake  that  burneth  vvith  fire  and  brimstone;  which  is  the 
second  death. 

But  on  the  contrary, — Say  ye  to  the  righteous,  that  it  shall  be 
well  with  him."  "Blessed  are  the  dead  which  die  in  the  l.ord 
from  henceforth;  yea,  saith  the  Spirit,  that  they  may  rest  from 
their  labors;  and  their  works  do  follov/  them."  The  '''-righteous''' 
shall  enter  '■Hnio  life  ettrnaV^  They  shall  be  ever  with  the 
Lord.  "Blessed  are  they  that  do  his  commandments,  that  they 
may  have  right  to  the  tree  of  life  and  may  enter  in  through  the 
gates  into  the  city." 

Such  is  the  religion  of  Jesus — such  are  the  doctrines  of  the 
Bible — and  what  harm  can  they  do  the  souls  or  bodies  of  men — 
to  individuals  or  societies? 

5th.  The  Bible  will  appear  to  be  a  revelation  irom  God,  if  we 
consider  the  purity,  holiness  and  spirituality  of  its  principles  and 
precepts.  No  system  of  religion  can  be  compared  with  it  in 
this  respect.  The  doctrines  of  the  Bible,  the  religion  of  Jesus, 
^ive  laws  to  the  heart.  They  lay  down  rules  and  regulations 
to  direct  the  most  secret  thoughts  and  emotions  of  the  mind. 
The  Bible  declares,  "That  every  idle  word  that  men  shall  speak, 
they  shall  give  an  account  thereof  in  the  day  of  judgment." 
When  God  shall  judge  the  secret  thoughts  of  men.  It  extends 
to  every  wanton  look,  every  immodest  thought  and  covetous  de- 
sire. It  forbids  all  anger,  wrath,  ill  will  and  revenge;  and  re- 
quires a  peaceable,  mild,  loving  and  forgiving  spirit  and  temper 
of  mind.  "Let  all  bitterness,  and  wrath,  and  anger,  and  clam- 
our, and  evil  speaking,  be  put  away  from  you,  with  all  malice; 
and  be  ye  kind  one  to  another,  tender  hearted,  forgiving  one 
another,  even  as  God  for  Christ's  sake  hath  forgiven  you."  "And 
now  ye  also  put  off  all  these,  anger,  wrath,  malice,  blasphemy, 
filthy  communication  out  of  your  mouth."  "Put  on  therefore, 
as  the  elect  of  God,  holy  and  believed,  bowels  of  mercy,  kind- 
ness, humbleness  of  mind,  meekness,  long  suffering;  forbearing 
one  another,  and  forgiving  one  another,  if  any  man  have  a  quar- 
rel against  any;  even  as  Christ  forgave  you,  even  so  do  ye." 
*<See  that  none  render  evil  for  evil  unto  any  man,  but  ever  fol- 
low that  which  is  good,  both  among  yourselves  and  to  all  men." 

Look  at  that  blessed  command  delivered  by  our  Lord  in  his 
sermon  on  the  mount. — "Love  your  enemies,  bless  them  that 
curse  you,  do  good  to  them  that  hate  you,  and  pray  for  them 
which  despitefully  use  you  and  persecute  you."  And  see  it  en- 
forced by  the  dying  example  of  its  divine  author  when  hanging 


480  THB  BIBLX    A    KEYELATION 

on  the  cross  and  struggling  in  the  agonies  of  death.  Hear  him 
praying  for  his  murderers — for  his  crtel  persecutors,  who  were 
mocking  his  agonies  and  making  sport  of  his  dying  groans. 
"Father  forgive  them  for  they  know  not  what  they  do." 

This  is  the  despised  reUgion  of  Jesus — what  evil  has  it  done? 

But  farther — The  word  of  God  requires  that  every  act  to  be 
done,  not  only  to  be  materially  or  substantially  good  as  to  the 
action  itself,  but  also,  that  it  be  performed,  from  pure  and  up- 
right motives,  and  from  the  highest  and  holiest  purposes  of  love 
to  God. — "If  ye  love  me,  keep  my  commandments."  "Wheth- 
er, therefore,  ye  eat  or  drink,  or  whatsoever  ye  do,  do  all  to  the 
glory  of  God." 

It  requires  you  to  be  perfect — to  be  holy  as  God  is  holy — and 
perfect  as  your  Father  in  heaven  is  perfect — to  walk  with  God 
and  to  keep  consciences  "void  of  offence  towards  God  and 
men." 

Cth.  The  Bible  manifests  itself  to  be  a  revelation  from  God, 
inasmuch  as  its  doctrines  and  precepts  point  out  a  way  to  hap- 
piness far  preferable  to  any  prescribed  by  other  systems. 

View  the  social  and  relative  duties  which  it  imposes  upon 
mankind  in  every  station  and  circumstance  of  life — every  ration- 
al, sensible  deist  acknowledges  they  are  calculated  to  promote 
the  happiness  of  mankind.  It  requires  all  men  to  be  good  cit- 
izens, loyal,  faithful  and  dutiful  subjects  to  civil  government. 
"Render  therefore,  unto  Cassar  the  things  which  are  Caesar's." 
"Render  therefore  to  all  their  dues;  tribute  to  whom  tribute  is 
du«;  custom  to  whom  custom;  fear  to  whom  fear:  honor  to 
whom  honor."  "Submit  yourselves  to  every  ordinance  of  man 
for  the  Lord's  sake;  whether  it  be  to  the  king  as  supreme;  or 
unto  governors,  as  unto  them  that  are  sent  by  him,  for  the  pun- 
ishment of  evil  doers,  and  for  the  praise  of  them  that  do  well." 
"Let  every  soul  be  subject  unto  the  higher  powers.  For  there 
is  no  power  but  of  God;  the  powers  that  be,  are  ordained  of 
God."  "Put  them  in  mind  to  be  subject  to  principalities  and 
powers,  to  obey  magistrates,  to  be  ready  to  every  good  work." 

It  requires  all  magistrates  and  officers  of  government  to  be 
men  of  truth,  fearing  God  and  hating  covetousness;  and  that 
they  should  exercise  the  power  with  which  God  has  invested 
them  for  the  punishment  of  evildoers,  and  for  the  praise  of  them 
that  do  well. 

It  requires  all  servants  to  be  humble,  faithful,  dutiful  and  obe- 
dient: not  as  eye  servants,  but  performing  their  duty  to  their 
masters,  as  to  the  Lord.  And  even  to  submit  with  patience  to 
harsh  and  tyranical  treatment  for  Christ's  sake. 

It  requires  of  masters  to  be  kind,  tender  and  humane  to  their 
servants;  not  exacting  more  of  them  than  ia  just  and  proper. 


.'OITA  jPKOM    HBATEN.  481 

It  requires  parents  to  be  tender,  strict,  pra%nt  and  affection- 
ate to  their  children;  bringing  them  ap  in  the  nurture  and  ad- 
monition of  the  Lord. 

It  requires  husbands  to  love  their  wives  as  their  own  souls;  to 
cherish  and  comfort  them;  and  treat  them  with  all  tenderness: 
and  it  requires  of  wives  to  love,  respect  and  honor  their  hus- 
bands.— "Wives  submit  yourselves  unto  your  own  husbands,  as 
unto  the  Lord.  For  the  husband  is  the  head  of  the  wife,  even 
as  Christ  is  the  head  of  the  church."  "Husbands,  love  your 
wives,  even  as  Christ  also  loved  the  church."  "So  ought  men 
to  love  their  wives  as  their  own  bodies.  He  that  loveth  his 
wife  loveth  himself." 

It  requires  all  men  to  be  just  and  faithful,  kind  and  charitable, 
loving,  affectionate  and  forgiving  one  to  another.  Now  if  every 
man  and  woman  would  be  governed  and  directed  by  these  rules 
and  precepts,  how  happy  would  the  world  be! 

The  religion  of  Jesus  leads  to  true  happiness  even  in  this  life; 
for  it  required  us  to  have  consciences  '•'-void  of  offenct  toward 
God  aad  toward  inenJ'''  And  what  a  source  of  happiness  does 
this  afford?  With  what  heroic  boldiness  can  he  whose  con- 
science is  void  of  offence  toward  God  and  men,  appear  in  every 
company,  and  in  every  place?  He  is  not  afraid  to  face  the 
world,  and  what  is  more,  he  is  not  afraid  to  face  death,  or  to 
stand  at  the  judgment  of  God. 

The  religion  of  Jesus  leads  to  true  happiness;  for  it  points  out 
the  only  way,  by  which  man  can  be  at  peace  with  God,  and  hold 
sweet  fellowship  and  communion  with  him.  It  fills  his  heart 
with  such  heavenly  comfort  and  unspeakable  joy,  that  he  can 
rejoice  in  tribulation,  and  be  happy  in  the  most  extreme  affic- 
tions;  and  finally  it  gives  him  a  rational  and  substantial  hope  of 
eternal  life — of  immortal  glory — and  of  incorruptible  and  nev- 
er fading  blessedness  in  the  heavenly  state. 

III.  Answer  some  objections  made  hy  the  deist  against  the 
Bible  as  a  revelation  from  God. 

1st.  Says  the  deist,  the  Bible  cannot  be  a  revelation  from 
God,  because  it  contains  a  history  of  wrongs,  injuries,  bloodshed 
and  slaughter;  and  most  horrid  acts  of  impiety.  To  this,  1  an- 
swer, the  histories  of  the  Bible  are  accounts  of  matters  of  fact; 
and  as  a  history  it  records  the  actions  of  wicked  and  depraved 
of  mankind.  If  it  records  truth— it  must  relate  actions  of  the 
most  base  and  abominable  description.  If  this  objection  be 
made  against  the  authenticity  of  the  scriptures,  it  must  also  be 
made  against  the  truth  of  all  history;  for  every  history  of  the 
world  which  records  matters  of  fact,  must  be  a  narrative  of  war, 
bloodshed,  cruelty,  and  most  attrocious  acts  of  wickedness.  But 
no  candid  man  of  sense  who  is  acquainted  with  the  Bible,  dare 
say;  that  it  recommends  these  base  actions  that  it  records  as  a 

61  ■   '•i-0%i    il4 


482  THK    B»I.£    A    RKVBLATION 

history — as  virtuous  and  worthy  of  imitation.  But  on  the  con- 
trary, they  are  condemned  as  actions  to  be  abhorred  and  detes- 
ted. 

6th.  How  will  you  reconcile  the  conduct  of  Moses  and  Josh- 
ua in  destroying  the  Canaanites,  and  even  putting  their  tender 
infants  to  death,  to  the  justice  and  goodness  of  God?  This  the 
Bible  justifies, — and  does  not  nature  recoil  at  it?  Can  you  recon- 
cile with  justice  and  equity,  the  conduct  of  a  Judge  and  jury  in 
finding  a  notorious  murderer  guilty  and  condemning  him  to 
death?  Does  nature  recoil  at  the  sheriff's  conduct  when  he 
takes  him  to  the  place  of  execution,  and  puts  him  to  death?  I 
apprehend  you  think  this  all  right.  And  if  the  righteous  Judge 
of  all  the  earth,  sentences  the  nations  of  Canaan  to  destruction, 
and  sends  Moses  and  Joshua  commissioned  to  execute  his  just 
judgment  upon  them  for  their  wickedness  and  unheard  of  abom- 
inations, will  you  not  allow  that  it  is  right  for  the  Sovereign  of 
the  Universe  thus  to  act?  And  if  he  commands  the  Israelites 
to  destroy  their  infants,  is  it  contrary  to  his  justice  and  good- 
ness? Has  not  he  who  gave  them  exisfence,  an  unquestionable 
right  to  take  it  away  in  what  manner  he  pleases? 

When  Lisbon  was  sunk  by  an  earthquake  in  1775,  how  many 
hundred  infants  were  swallowed  up?  When  in  the  reign  of 
Titus,  Herculaneum  was  overwhelmed  by  an  eruption  from 
Mount  Vesuvius;  and  when  Catanea  was  destroyed  by  an  erup- 
tion from  iEtna,  how  many  thousand  infants  were  crushed  to 
death?  Was  not  this  the  hand  of  God?  Then  is  it  not  as  con- 
sistent with  justice  and  goodness  to  command  the  IsraeHtes  to 
put  them  to  death,  as  to  commission  earthquakes  and  volcanoes 
to  do  so? 

3rd.  But  the  Bible  contains  so  many  things  obscene  and  im- 
modest, which  are  unfit  to  be  read  in  polite  and  genteel  com- 
pany— therefore  it  cannot  be  a  revelation  from  God.  I  ^ac- 
knowledge there  are  some  things  in  the  Bible  improper  to  be 
read  in  public.  But  the  obscenity  is  not  in  the  Bible;  it  is  in 
the  polluted  minds  of  depraved  men.  I  can  shew  you  many 
things  in  the  institutions  of  nature,  altogether  unfit  for  conver- 
sation in  genteel  company;  yet  they  are  by  no  means  obscene 
or  immodest.  Examine  a  treatise  on  anatomy  or  midwifery, 
and  you  will  find  many  things  in  the  very  laws  of  nature,  which 
are  improper  subjects  for  conversation  in  public. 

Then,  the  obscenity  lies  altogether  in  the  minds  of  immodest 
men.  And  your  objection  would  condemn  natural  religion 
with  as  much  force,  as  it  would  divine  revelation. 

4th.  The  Bible  records  many  actions  of  the  most  eminent 
saints,  which  are  base  and  immoral:  as  Noah's  drunkenness, 
Lot's  incest,  David's  murder  and  adultery,  Peter's  perjury  and 
denying  his  Lord.  How  then  can  the  religion  of  the  Bible  be 
of  God? 


VROM    HKAVEN.  483 

If  the  Bible  approbated  such  conduct,  and  recommended  it 
as  worthy  of  imitation,  your  objection  would  be  good.  But  so 
far  from  approving  such  conduct,  the  Bible  every  where  con- 
demns and  detests  it;  and,  in  some  instances,  records  their  re- 
pentence  and  bitter  humiliation  for  such  backslidings  from 
God. 

These  faults  in  the  lives  of  saints,  are  related  for  our  alarm; 
that  we  might  watch  and  pray,  and  guard  against  temptation. 
And  their  repentence  is  mentioned,  for  the  encouragement  of 
penitent  backsliders,  who  may  see  from  plain  examples  and  mat- 
ters of  fact,  that  there  is  forgiveness  with  God  for  all  who  will 
confess  and  forsake  their  sins. 

ath.  But  many  eminent  saints  lived  and  died  in  the  sin  of 
polygamy.  Abraham,  Jacob,  David,  Solomon  and  others  had 
a  plurality  of  wives.  How  is  this  to  be  reconciled  to  the  purity 
of  the  religion  of  the  Bible? 

In  the  early  ages,  for  want  of  sufficient  light  to  understand 
the  will  of  God,  polygamy  was  allowed.  It  was  not  known  to 
be  criminal,  until  Christ  the  true  light  came  into  the  world,  and 
shewed  men  the  mind  and  will  of  God.  For  this  reason  some 
things  were  excusable  in  early  ages,  which  would  be  unpardon- 
able under  the  dispensation  of  the  gospel. 

6th.  The  christian  religion  cannot  be  of  God;  for  it  has  been 
the  source  of  more  villainy,  rascality,  oppression,  and  bloodshed 
than  any  thing  else.  Witness  the  conduct  of  the  Roman  Catho- 
licf  church  for  eight  or  nine  centuries.  My  dear  friends,  the 
religion  of  the  Bible  and  the  conduct  of  the  Roman  church,  are 
two,  very  different.  Genuine  Christianity  differs  as  widely  from 
the  church  of  Rome,  as  the  most  chaste,  amiable  and  virtuous 
lady,  from  the  vilest  prostitute.  Read  the  Bible  with  a  candid 
and  unprejudiced  mind,  and  you  will  find  that  the  abominations 
of  the  church  of  Rome,  were  foretold  by  the  apostle  Paul. 
^^JVow  the  Spirit  speaketh  expressly,  that  in  the  latter  times  some 
shall  depart  from  the  faith,  giving  heed  to  seducing  spirits  and 
doctrines  of  Devils;  speaking  liesinhypocracy;  having  their  con- 
cience  seared  with  an  hot  iron;  forbidding  to  marry,  and  command- 
ing to  abstain  from  meats.''''  He  speaks  of  these  abominations 
as  a  time  when  the  "man  of  sin.^^  should  be  revealed,  with  all 
the  deceit  of  unrighteousness;  ^Hhe  so7i  of  perdition,  who  oppo- 
seth  and  exaltetk  himself  above  all  that  is  called  God,  or  that  is 
worshipped;  so  that  he  as  God  sitteth  in  the  temple  of  God,  shewing 
himself  that  he  is  God.''''  The  church  of  Rome  is  spoken  of  by 
John,  under  the  figure  of  "Me  great  whore,''"'  ^^with  whom  the 
kings  of  the  earth  have  committed  fornication,  and  the  inhabitants 
of  the  earth  have  been  made  drunk  with  the  mint  of  her  fornication.'''' 
Read  these  predictions  and  Newton's  "Dissertation  on  the  pro- 
phecies," and  you  will  see  they  apply  to  that  church.     Can  her 


484  THB    BIBUC    A    mBVKIi.ATiatl 

abominations  with  any  degree  of  property  be  charged  upon  the 
pure  doctrines  of  Christianity;  when  the  first  preachers  of  the 
gospel,  foretold  them  as  a  falling  off  or  departure  from  its  doc- 
trines? 

When  Constantine  the  great,  established  the  christian  religion, 
he  permitted  none  to  fill  offices  of  honor  and  profit  but  chris- 
tians, and  at  the  same  time  conferred  high  pensions  and  honors 
on  the  clergy. 

This  laid  the  foundation  for  apostacy:  wicked  ungodly  men 
called  themselves  christians,  to  obtain  preferment;  and  entered 
the  ministry  for  the  purpose  of  acquiring  the  riches  of  this 
world.  And  now,  suppose  that  the  constitution  of  the  United 
States,  and  of  the  several  state  governments  permitted  none  but 
those  professing  Christianity,  to  till  any  post  in  our  civil  or  mili- 
tary departments — would  not  thousands  of  wicked  men,  and 
many  cleists  too,  assume  the  name  of  christian,  to  obtain  offices? 
And  suppose  two  thousand  dollars  a  year,  were,  by  the  govern- 
ment conferred  upon  every  preacher  of  the  gospel — are  there 
not  numbers  of  wicked  and  ungodly  men  and  those  who 
now  call  themselves  deists,  also,  who  would  turn  their  attention 
to  the  study  of  divinity,  for  the  sake  of  their  salary?  And  the 
inevitable  consequence  would  be,  the  corruption  and  abuse  of 
the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ.  I  would  now  ask — can  common 
sense  charge  these  abuses,  so  contrary  to  the  spirit  of  true  rc^ 
ligion,  as  a  reproach  to  genuine  Christianity?     Surely  not. 

Honor  is  one  of  the  noblest  principles  that  ever  existed  in 
the  human  bosom.  But  can  the  perpetration  of  a  dishonorable 
act,  under  the  cloak  of  honor — render  genuine  honor  mean  and 
contemptible?  For  example — Duelling  will  be  allowed  by  eve- 
ry man  of  reflection  to  be  dishonorable,  for  it  is  repugnant  both 
to  the  laws  of  God  and  man,  and  is  attended  with  consequences 
which  should  make  it  infamous  and  disgraceful.  A  man  for  a 
small  offence  will  murder  his  neighbor,  and  send  his  soul  with- 
out preparation  into  the  presence  of  its  Maker,  to  be  doomed 
to  eternal  wo.  He  v^'ill  make  a  destitute  widow;  a  family  of 
children,  helpless  orphans.  All  this  mischief  is  done  under  the 
pretext  of  honor.  But  is  there  any  man  so  irrational  as  to  de- 
clare, that  therefore  trzie  honor  is  a  base  principle? 

It  is  our  boast  in  this  land  of  liberty,  where  the  rights  of  men 
are  understood,  that  ours  is  the  best  system  of  laws  in  the  world. 
But  will  those  many  speculations,  frauds,  and  acts  of  villiany, 
contrary  to  the  nature  and  design  of  the  law,  but  committed 
under  the  pretext  of  law,  be  regarded  as  a  reproach  upon  the 
spirit  of  our  laws?  When  an  attorney  for  the  sake  of  a  high 
fee,  under  colour  of  justice,  serenes  the  notorious  offisnders,  rob- 
bers and  murderers  from  punishment,  does  the  law  become 
abominable?     Is  it  the  source  of  all  crime?     Neither  can  the 


>  FROM    HKATBN.  485 

conduct  of  hypocrites,  be  charged  as  a  reproach  upon  true  and 
genuine  Christianity. 

7th.  The  Bible  contains  a  number  of  inexplicable  mysteries, 
which  reason  cannot  comprehend.  Therefore  1  must  reject  it 
as  a  fable.  If  there  are  mysteries  in  the  Bible,  which,  reason 
cannot  comprehend — yet  this  is  not  a  good  objection  to  the 
truth  of  it.  God  himself  is  incomprehensible ;  and  if  the  chris- 
tian religion  is  a  revelation  from  God  it  must  bear  his  likeness 
and  also  incomprehensible. 

The  religion  of  nature  is  full  of  mysterious  wonders  which 
reason  cannot  comprehend.  The  eternal  duration  of  God — a 
Supreme  First  Cause — uncaused^  independent  of  any  cause.  Is 
not  this  a  mystery,  beyond  your  comprehension?  Let  your 
thoughts,  run  back,  if  possible  ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand 
centuries — and  you  are  then,  as  far  from  the  commencement 
of  his  existence,  as  the  present  moment. 

Infinite  space  is  another  great  mystery.  Reason  cannot  com- 
prehend, nor  yet  deny  it.  Were  you  to  travel  one  hundred 
thousand  millions  of  leagues  fronti  this  spot,  you  would  be  no  far- 
ther from  its  centre,  and  no  nearer  to  its  circumference 
than  when  you  started.  The  diurnal  motion  of  the  globe  of 
our  earth  is  a  mystery.  It  revolves  on  its  axes  every  twenty 
four  hours,  yet  we  never  see  it  move.  In  its  annual  motion,  it 
passes  round  its  orbit  in  three  hundred  and  sixty  five  days,  the 
semi-diameter  of  which  is  more  than  ninety  millions  of  miles, 
and  yet  we  perceive  not  its  motion,  notwithstanding  we  move 
with  surprissing  velocity. 

We  are  a  mystery  to  ourselves,  we  cannot  comprehend  the 
constitution  of  our  own  beings.  How  a  material  body — and  an 
immortal  soul,  which  is  an  immaterial  spirit,  are  united  together, 
reason  cannot  tell. 

But,  says  the  deist,  I  have  no  soul.  There  is  no  future  state 
or  immortality. 

This  sentiment  strikes  at  the  foundation  of  all  government 
and  civil  society.  If  there  is  no  hareafter  or  future  existence, 
the  greatest  villian,  the  most  confirmed  scoundrel,  who  can 
cheat,  defraud,  rob  or  steal,  and  heap  up  wealth  and  take  all  the 
pleasure  that  the  world  can  afford,  is  the  happiest  man,  if  he 
can  only  elude  the  lash  of  the  civil  law.  All  the  happiness  he 
expects  is  in  this  world — and  it  is  all  he  desires.  He  fears  only 
the  laws  of  the  country. 

But  the  secret  dictates  of  conscience  in  every  man's  breast, 
take  part  with  the  religion  of  the  Bible,  and  tell  him  that  he 
has  a  soul — that  there  is  a  future  state — and  that  he  must  give 
an  account  after  death  for  the  deeds  done  in  the  body. 

But  perhaps  the  deist  denies  that  there  is  in  the  mind  any  such 
principle  as  conscience;  that  it  is  only  a  prejudice  arising  from 
education. 


486  THB    BIBLB    A    RBYALATION  »OM  HEaYEN. 

This  sentiment  also  tends  to  unhinge  society.  It  lets  loose 
man's  depraved  disposition,  to  the  commission  of  all  manner  of 
wickedness.  At  one  blow  it  destroys  all  the  force  of  an  oath. 
If  man  has  no  conscience,  what  is  the  use  of  oaths?  He  has 
nothing  to  bind  him  to  truth  When  I  take  an  oath,  I  call  God 
to  witness,  who  searches  the  heart,  that  what  I  declare  is  the 
truth.  My  conscience  tells  me  I  declare  not  the  truth,  that  I 
must  answer  for  it  at  the  bar  of  the  all-seeing  God  who  cannot 
be  deceived,  and  be  punished  for  it  after  death. 

I  now  appeal  to  every  deist  upon  earth,  if  the  Bible  is  not 
the  strongest  bond  of  civil  government. — Does  it  not  offer  the 
most  powerful  obligations  to  bind  mankind  together?  Is  it  not 
the  only  system  upon  earth  that  leads  to  happiness  in  time  and 
through  eternity? 

When  I  began  this  discourse,  I  intended  to  have  answered  a 
variety  of  other  objections.  But  the  subject  is  so  copious,  that 
it  must  be  omitted  at  present. 


THE 
DANGEROCTS    AND    BESTR  VOTI V  E    C  ON  S  E  QVEIVCES 

ATTENDING    THE 

USE  OF  SPIRITUOUS    LK^UORS. 


I  WOULD  introduce  this  subject  in  the  language  which  the 
celebrated  Dr.  Rush  makes  use  of  upon  another  occasion,  viz: 
If  an  inhabitant  of  our  world  should  go  to  a  neighboring  planet, 
and  should  tell  the  inhabitants  of  that  place,  that  there  was  an 
article  in  the  world  he  left,  in  the  highest  repute  among  all  ranks 
and  descriptions  of  men;  that  it  was  manufactured  with  the 
greatest  care  and  industry;  that  it  was  a  principal  article  of  trade 
and  commerce  among  all  nations;  that  it  was  to  be  found  in  al- 
most every  house,  and  frequently  used  by  almost  every  person; 
that  it  was  presented  by  every  man  to  his  friend  and  neighbor 
as  a  token  of  his  love  and  regard;  that  it  formed  a  very  materi- 
al part  of  all  banquets,  feasts,  and  entertainments — yet,  that  it 
was  destructive  to  the  health,  to  the  morals,  to  the  bodies,  to 
the  souls,  to  the  characters,  and  to  the  estates  of  those  that  use 
it;  that  it  destroyed  the  peace  and  happiness  of  individuals,  of 
families,  societies  and  neighborhoods;  that  it  was  an  inlet  and 
and  procuring  cause  of  broils,  discords,  quarrels  and  mischiefs  of 
every  description;  that  it  brings  men  of  sense,  of  genius  and  im- 
portance to  mere  cyphers  in  the  world,  men  of  character  and 
respectability  to  be  objects  of  contempt,  and  men  of  wealth  and 
property  to  be  beggars  and  vagabonds;  that  it  reduces  whole 
families  from  the  summit  of  wealth  and  affluence  to  poverty, 
rags  and  wretchedness; — in  a  word,  that  it  degrades  men  of 
rationality  below  the  character  of  the  brutes: — the  person  bring- 
ing such  tidings  would  be  banished  from  society  as  a  common 
liar  because  such  information  would  appear  so  irrational  and  in- 
credible. Yet  every  man  of  reason  and  reflection  must  ac- 
knowledge, that  this  is  a  true  picture  of  that  poisonous,  destruc- 
tive article,  which  we  call  spirituous  liquors,  which  has  been 
the  source  of  so  much  mischief,  and  so  many  deadly  evils  to  the 
world  of  mankind. 


/ 


488  THK    BAKOBRODS    AKB    DXSTBUeTtVB    CONSEaUBt(9KS 

It  is  true,  the  advocates  for  the  use  of  the  ardent  spirits,  par- 
ticularly such  of  them  as  are  reputed  sober,  temperate  men,  will 
plead  for  the  moderate  use  of  them,  and  tell  you  in  the  language 
of  the  apostle,  1.  Tim.  iv.  ch.  4.  v.  that  every  creature  of  God  is 
good,  and  none  to  be  refused  when  sanctified  by  tlie  word  of 
God  and  prayer. 

I  confess  I  do  believe  spirituous  liquors,  physically  considered, 
to  be  an  innocent  thing;  that  there  is  no  moral  evil  in  them. 
The  same  may  be  said  of  a  sword,  a  bayonet,  of  a  rifle  bullet,  or 
a  cannon  ball.  Let  them  alone,  and  they  will  injure  nobody; 
but  apply  them  to  their  proper  use,  and  they  are  instruments  of 
death.  So  spirituous  liquor,  innocent  as  the  thing  may  be  in 
itself,  the  use  of  it  is  ruin  and  destruction  to  body  and  soul.  1 
suppose  if  ardent  spirits  were  never  taken  but  when  they  were 
sanctified  by  the  word  of  God  and  prayer,  or  if  no  man  was  ev- 
er to  lift  the  bottle  or  glass  to  his  mouth,  but  when  he  felt  him- 
self in  the  spirit  of  Christ,  and  acting  under  the  influence  of  that 
gospel  command,  1.  Cor.  10  ch.  xiii.  v.-  "Whether  ye  eat  or 
drink,  or  whatsoever  ye  do,  do  all  to  the  glory  of  God,"  no  man 
would  ever  be  drunk;  and  it  is  more  than  probable  that  spiritu- 
ous  liquors  would  be  seldom  or  never  used.  But  alas !  how  few 
of  our  sober  and  temperate  men  can  appeal  to  God,  and  say,  I 
never  drank  a  drop,  nor  took  a  drink  of  grog,  but  when  it  was 
sanctified  by  the  word  of  God  and  prayer!  I  never  lifted  the  bot- 
tle or  the  glass  to  my  lips,  but  when  I  did  it  to  the  glory  of  God, 
and  with  a  design  to  glorify  him.  In  opposition  to  all  the  ar- 
guments that  can  be  advanced,  in  favor  of  the  use  of  ardent  spir- 
its, the  following  considerations  are  submitted,  which  must  have 
due  weight  upon  the  minds  of  all  men  of  serious  reflection,  and 
especially  such  as  are  sincere  Christians. 

1st.  That  spirituous  liquors  have  been  a  source  of  mischief, 
destruction  and  misery  to  the  human  race  ever  since  they  were 
invented  and  brought  into  use.  Do  you  hear  of  a  broil,  a  riot, 
or  bloody  quarrel  struck  up  in  a  public  company,  men  of  ra- 
tionality beating  and  tearmg  one  another  like  dogs,  their  eyes 
blackened,  their  nose  bleeding,  their  limbs  broken  or  disabled, 
their  heads  mashed,  and  their  bodies  bruised?  Inquire  into  the 
spring  and  moving  cause  of  it,  and  at  once  you  will  find  it  is 
too  much  whiskey.  Do  you  hear  of  a  man  found  upon  the 
highway  frozen  to  death?  or  a  man  having  his  brains  beat  out, 
or  his  neck  broken  by  a  fall  from  his  horse? — and  you  are  sure 
to  hear  that  the  unhappy  cause  which  was  too  much  whiskey. 
Do  you  see  a  man  coming  home  to  his  family,  his  wife  trembling 
with  the  terror  of  a  slave,  his  children  and  servants  struck  with 
horror  and  consternation,  or  flying  the  plantation  for  fear  of  un- 
merciful abuse,  as  though  a  murderous  savage  or  an  infernal  fu- 
ry had  made  his  appearance?     Examine  into  the  cause  of  all  this 


▲TTKIfDINO   TBB   UfB    0¥   iriRITUOUS    LK^UOns.  489 

confusion  and  disturbance,  and  you  will  find  it  is  whiskey — the 
head  of  the  family  has  come  home  drunk.  Do  you  see  a  man 
that  once  possessed  thousands,  once  a  man  of  credit,  a  man  of 
property,  a  man  that  filled  offices  of  profit  and  respectability, 
now  going  in  rags,  an  object  of  contempt,  and  a  nuisance  to  the 
society  of  mankind?  Examine  into  the  cause  of  this  melancholy 
change,  and  you  will  find  it  is  whiskey;  the  intemperate  use  of 
ardent  spirits  was  the  inlet  or  procuring  cause  of  his  gambling, 
of  his  neglecting  business,  his  bad  trades,  and  foolish  bargains, 
which  all  terminate  in  his  ruin;  and  now  when  his  all  is  gone, 
his  only  refuge  and  comfort  is  whiskey,  when  often  he  has  to 
beg  ninepence  before  he  can  get  it.  Do  you  hear  of  an  honor- 
able professor  of  Christianity  blundering,  falling  into  sin,  bring- 
ing the  cause  of  God  into  reproach,  and  thereby  opening  the 
mouths  of  the  uncircumcised  in  heart  to  blaspheme  the  precious 
name  of  Jesus? — and  for  the  most  part  you  will  find  the  cause  of 
it  to  be  whiskey.  For,  I  think,  it  will  be  found,  upon  examina- 
tion, that  nine-tenths  of  the  reproaches  that  the  professors  of 
Christianity  bring  upon  religion  is  by  the  intemperate  use  of  spir- 
ituous liquors. 

2nd.  Another  awful  consideration  which  should  have  a  sol- 
emn weight,  at  least  upon  the  minds  of  serious  professors,  is, 
that  spirituous  liquors  are  an  article  that  the  devil  has  embraced 
and  appropriated  in  a  very  great  degree  for  his  own  purposes, 
and  for  his  own  use,  to  the  promotion  of  his  kingdom  in  the 
world,  to  the  destruction  of  the  souls  of  men,  and  the  injury  and 
disgrace  of  the  Christian  religion. 

It  is  impossible  to  point  out  one  article  or  commodity  in  the 
world,  that  is  and  has  been  the  soui  ce  of  so  much  mischief,  that 
is  an  inlet  to  so  many  temptations,  and  that  so  completely  pla- 
ces them  beyond  hope,  beyond  recovery,  and  beyond  every  pos- 
sible remedy.  With  the  greater  part  of  the  human  race,  ardent 
spirits  is  the  most  suitable  bait  that  the  devil  can  present  to  en- 
snare them,  and  to  lead  them  on  to  perpetrate  the  most  enor- 
mous crimes. 

In  evidence  of  the  truth  of  this,  let  us  take  a  serious  view  of 
the  conduct  of  hundreds  that  attend  our  courts,  elections  and 
general  musters,  and  who  frequent  balls,  horse  races  and  other 
places  of  public  concourse.  Take  a  view  of  their  dreadful  ef- 
fects on  individuals,  families  and  collected  bodies  of  men:  these 
mischiefs  and  dreadful,  destructive  consequences  taken  into  view, 
I  would  ask  every  serious  professor  of  religion,  are  ardent  spir- 
its a  blessing  or  a  curse  to  the  world?  are  they  a  blessing  or  a 
curse  to  the  church?  Whether  does  the  bottle  and  the  glass,  the 
whiskey  and  the  grog  in  the  drinking  hall  of  a  tavern,  look  most 
suitable  before  a  company  of  the  humble  followers  of  the  bless- 
ed Jesus,  or  before  a  company  of  profane  ungodly  sinners?  The 

62 


490     THS  DANeBROUS  AMD  DKtTRCCTlVE  CONSEaUENCE* 

answer — I  apprehend  the  answer  will  be  easy,  but  my  present 
business  is  to  point  out  the  dangers  that  attend  the  use  of  ardent 
spirits,  and  the  dreadful  consequences  tnat  frequently  proceed 
from  the  use  of  them. 

And  here  I  shall  pass  over  their  ruinous  effects  upon  the  bod- 
ies and  constitutions  of  men,  as  this  has  been  treated  in  a  learn- 
ed and  masterly  manner  by  one  of  the  most  eminent  and  res- 
pectable physicians  in  the  United  States.  I  shall  only  consid- 
er the  effects  of  them  as  they  are  pernicious  to  the  morals  and 
destrucHve  to  the  souls  of  men. 

1st.  The  dangers  that  attend  the  moderate  and  temperate  use 
of  ardent  spirits,  and 

1st.  The  most  moderate  and  temperate  use  of  them  natural- 
ly leads  to  a  habit,  and  this  habit  for  the  most  part,  terminates 
in  drunkenness  and  intemperance.  It  has  been  a  received  prin- 
ciple in  the  world  that  spirituous  liquors  taken  in  bitters  in  the 
morning,  are  a  preservative  to  health,  and  a  preventive  to  dis- 
ease, especially  in  sickly  seasons.  Hence  it  has  become  a 
practice  in  the  most  decent  families  to  take  a  bitter  dram  in  the 
morning  for  the  purpose  of  health,  and  perhaps  to  repeat  it 
again  before  breakfast  to  create  an  appetite;  again,  when  a  man 
comes  in  fatigued  from  hard  labor,  to  take  a  glass  of  spirits  or 
a  drink  of  grog  to  refresh  his  body  and  raise  his  animal  spirits; 
again,  if  a  friend  or  a  neighbor  comes  to  his  house,  as  a  token  of 
his  friendship,  he  presents  him  with  the  bottle  and  the  glass,  and 
for  sake  of  good  fellowship,  he  must  taste  it  with  his  friend.  By 
a  frequent,  though  a  temperate  use  of  it  in  this  manner,  a  man 
will  contract  a  liking  to  the  taste  of  it.  After  some  time,  he 
will  fell  an  anxiety  for  it  at  the  particular  times  that  he  has  ac- 
customed himself  to  take  it;  presently  when  his  bottle  or  his 
keg  is  empty,  he  will  feel  the  same  longing  anxiety  after  it,  that 
a  smoker  or  chewer  will  feel  when  his  tobacco  runs  out;  and 
hence,  he  will  as  soon  as  possible,  provide  himself  with  a  new 
supply.  In  such  a  use  of  ardent  spirits  as  this,  the  habit  grows 
up  insensibly,  and  it  is  ten  thousand  to  one,  that  in  the  course  of 
fifteen,  twenty,  or  twenty-five  years,  and  probably  a  great  deal 
sooner,  this  habit  will  ripen  into  swinish  drunkeness  and  intem- 
perance. The  world  at  present  abounds  with  dismal  examples 
of  this  kind.  There  are,  no  doubt,  hundreds  that  pass  for  sober, 
temperate  men,  that  are  living  in  this  moderate,  but  daily  use  of 
spirituous  liquors.  Were  you  to  tell  them  that  in  the  space  of 
twenty  years,  they  would  be  common  drunkards,  they  would 
reject  the  idea  with  horror,  and  would  be  ready  in  the  language 
of  Hazael  to  the  prophet,  2  Kings,  viii.  ch.  13  v. — "Is  thy  ser- 
vant a  dog,  that  he  should  do  this?" — when,  perhaps,  in  less 
time,  they  will  fall  a  prey  to  this  soul  undoing  habit. 

2nd.  Another  danger  that  attends  even  the  temperate  use  of 


▲TTENJCINO   THK   CSS   OF   SPIRITUOUS    LIQ,UORI.  491 

spirituous  liquors,  is,  that  a  man,  though  cautious   and  prudent, 

{'■et  if  he"  accustoms  himself  to  the  use  of  spirituous  liquors,  is 
iable  at  one  time  or  another  to  be  overtaken,  and  to  be  ensnar- 
ed in  the  Devil's  net;  or,  in  other  words,  he  is  liable,  at  one 
time  or  another,  to  be  intoxicated. 

If  we  consider  the  ditferent  seasons  of  heat  and  cold — the  dif- 
ferent circumstances  that  a  man  may  be  in,  and  the  different 
situations  of  the  human  body,  in  which  ardent  spirits  may  be 
used,  we  will  find  that  their  etfects  will  be  as  different.  A  man, 
when  he  is  young,  in  the  prime  and  vigor  of  life,  when  his  ner- 
vous system  is  strong  and  his  constitution  is  sound,  may  use  spir- 
ituous liquors,  as  he  supposes  with  temperance,  without  feeling 
the  intoxicating  power. — When  he  is  advanced  in  years,  in  the 
decline  of  life,  his  constitution  broken  and  his  nervous  system 
weakened,  the  same  quantity  of  spirits  will  produce  intoxication. 
A  man,  in  perfect  health,  receiving  his  food  in  proper  season, 
and  engaged  in  laborious  bodily  exercise,  may  drink  a  quantity 
of  spirits  without  receiving  any  sensible  injury;  yet  when  his 
body  is  in  an  enfeebled  state,  weakened  by  sickness,  the  same 
quantity  of  spirits  will  intoxicate  him,  especially  if  taken  upon 
an  empty  stomach.  Again,  a  man^  in  a  warm  day,  in  the  exer- 
cise of  hard  labor,  with  a  lively  perspiration,  may  drink  a  quan- 
tity of  spirits  without  intoxication,  when  the  same  quantity  ta- 
ken in  a  cold  day  and  upon  an  empty  stomach,  would  be  ex- 
tremely injurious.  From  what  has  been  said,  we  may  plainly 
see  that  it  is  a  dangerous  matter,  (especially  for  professors  of  re- 
ligion) to  touch  or  concern  with  spirituous  liquors.  It  is,  in  fact, 
to  dabble  with  the  Devil's  bait,  and  to  run  the  fatal  risk,  at  one 
time  or  another,  of  swallowing  his  hook. 

Many  lamentable  instances  might  be  brought  forward  to  illus- 
trate melancholy  truth,  but  I  shall  mention  only  one  at  this  time, 
viz:  the  circumstance  of  a  man,  now  living,  who,  for  the  space 
of  twenty-four  years,  made  an  open  and  reputable  profession  of 
the  religion  of  Jesus,  without  the  smallest  blot  or  stain  upon  his 
moral  and  religious  character,  and  for  the  space  of  eighteen  years 
of  that  time,  he  uniformly  supported  the  character  of  a  useful, 
zealous  minister  of  the  gospel.  On  a  cold  day,  and  with  an  emp- 
ty stomach,  being  in  a  low  state  of  health — but  a  short  time  re- 
covered from  the  billions  fever — he  rode  in  company  with  two 
wicked  men,  and  unhappily  drinking  with  them  at  different 
times,  the  liquor  had  a  sudden  effect,  and  the  consequence  was, 
he  was  shamefully  intoxicated,  to  the  great  reproach  of  religion 
to  the  wounding  of  his  own  soul,  and  to  the  hardening  of  the 
wicked  and  ungodly.  After  spending  some  weeks  in  a  state  of 
anguish  and  distress,  almost  comparable  to  the  torrm  nts  of  the 
damned,  he  at  length  obtained  some  small  glimmering  views  of 
the  glory  and  sufficiency  of  Christ's  peace  •sj)'aking  blood   to 


492  THE   DANOIROUS    4KD    DBSTRUCTIVE   eONSKQ.UKNCKS 

"Wash  away  his  guilt,  which  gave  him  an  humble  hope  and  trust 
that  the  Lord  had  not  cast  him  off  forever,  but  would  yet  re- 
turn in  mercy  to  his  soul.  At  this  time,  he  entered  into  a  writ- 
ten covenant  with  the  Lord — 1st.  That  he  would  never  taste 
spirituous  liquors  until  his  dying  hour.  2d.  That  he  would  pre- 
pare  a  piece  for  the  press,  in  which  he  would  point  out  the  per- 
nicious consequences  of  spirituous  liquors,  and  warn  the  profess- 
ing world  of  the  danger  of  touching  or  concerning  with  them. 
3d.  That  he  would,  until  his  dying  hour,  observe  the  same  day 
of  the  month,  as  a  day  of  fasting,  humiliation  and  prayer  before 
God.  4th.  That  he  would  pray  in  secret  three  times  every  day, 
and  examine  his  heart  twice  every  day  before  God,  whether  he 
had  committed  any  sin,  or  neglected  any  duty  during  the  day. 
fith*  That  he  would,  in  the  strength  of  God,  try  every  day,  as 
his  daily  exercise,  to  watch  and  pray,  to  guard  against  tempta- 
tion, and  try  to  maintain  a  close  walk  with  God.  In  a  few  days 
after,  as  he  was  walking  along  the  road,  the  Lord  graciously 
shined  into  his  soul,  and  filled  hirii  with  joy  and  peace  in  believ- 
iag.  He  felt  all  his  guilt  carried  away  and  drowned  in  the  red 
sea  of  the  blood  of  Christ,  and  enjoyed  the  witness  of  a  sealed 
pardon  in  his  soul.  For  many  weeks  afterwards,  he  felt  a  heav- 
enly calm  and  serenity  of  soul,  and  experienced  almost  an  un- 
interrupted communion  with  God.  He,  therefore,  again  sol- 
emnly covenanted  with  the  Lord  never  to  taste,  touch  or  con- 
cern with  spirituous  liquors,  and  it  is  his  unshaken  resolution,  by 
this  means,  forever  to  disarm  the  devil  of  that  source  of  tempta- 
tion. 

But  before  I  dismiss  this  particular,  I  would  take  notice  of  a 
shameful  practice  that  often  prevails  among  men  that  call  them- 
selves men  of  sobriety  and  temperance,  and  to  their  shame  be  it 
spoken,  it  is  sometimes  the  practice  of  professors  of  religion, 
viz:  going  into  taverns  to  take  a  refreshment  as  they  call  it. 
This  is,  in  reality,  going  upon  the  Devil's  ground,  and  I  appre- 
hend while  they  are  sitting  round  the  grog  table,  they  cannot 
■with  a  clear  conscience  before  God,  pray  the  sixth  petition  of 
the  Lord's  prayer:  "And  lead  us  not  into  temptation,  but  deliv- 
er us  from  evil."  Perhaps  four  or  five  neighbors  happen  to 
meet  at  a  public  place.  Custom  and  friendship  incline  them  to 
go  into  the  tavern  and  take  a  drink  together.  They  are  all  ci- 
vil sober  men ;  they  call  for  a  room,  where  they  will  not  be  in- 
terrupted by  the  common  drinking  rabble.  One  of  them  calls  in 
his  half  pint.  This  goes  round,  but  it  is  but  a  taste  among  so 
many.  The  second  calls  in  his  half  pint;  this  goes  round,  but 
nobodjr  is  moved  by  the  liquor.  The  third  calls  in  his.  By  the 
time  this  goes  round,  some  small  effects  of  the  liquor  are  sensibly 
felt.  But  they  are  a  friendly  company,  and  every  one  must  be 
a  good  fellow.    The  fourth  must  bring  in  his  half  pint.    By  the 


ATTBNDINO    THK    UfE    OF    SPIRITUOUS    LIQ.UORS.  493 

time  this  goes  round,  they  sensibly  feel  their  heads  affected,  their 
tongues  beginning  to  falter,  and  a  secret  consciousness  that 
they  have  drunk  too  much.  But  the  fifth  will  not  spunge  upon 
his  friends — he  will  bear  his  part;  he  will  be  offended  if  they 
break  up  before  his  half  pint  comes  in:  accordingly  it  is  brought 
in  and  dmnk.  And  now  if  they  are  professors  of  religion,  it  is  a 
thousand  to  one  but  the  Devil  and  the  wicked  will  have  the  pie- 
sure  of  laughing  at  them. 

But  I  will  just  suppose  another  case:  A  sober,  temperate  man 
goes  to  the  court  house  or  country  town  upon  some  lawful  bus- 
mess — perhaps  the  merchant  that  he  trades  with,  presents  him 
with  a  glass  of  spirits.  Out  of  politeness,  he  takes  it.  He  has 
to  walk  into  the  tavern  to  see  some  person  he  has  business  with. 
He  finds  him  with  others  sitting  round  a  table  drinking.  They 
present  him  with  the  glass,  and  out  of  politeness,  he  receives  it. 
Perhaps  he  is  invited  to  dine  with  some  respectable  acquaint- 
ance. Here  the  bottle  and  the  glass  is  presented  once  or  twice 
before  dinner.  In  such  cases,  if  the  utmost  caution  is  not  used, 
before  he  is  aware,  he  will  find  himself  in  a  bad  situation.  Again, 
at  marriages,  house  raisings,  log  rollings,  &c.  the  bottle  is  hand- 
ed round  again  and  again,  perhaps  not  less  than  twenty  times  in 
a  day.  A  sober,  temperate  man  passes  it  along  with  the  com- 
pany, and  tastes  it  every  time  with  the  greatest  moderation. 
But  perhaps  the  frequent  repetition  of  it,  intoxicates  him,  before 
he  duly  considers  the  consequence.  A  little  taken  at  one  time, 
and  a  little  at  another,  perhaps  unexpectedly  produces  the 
•dreadful  effect. 

The  safest  plan,  then,  to  avoid  intoxication,  is  never  to  touch, 
taste,  or  concern  with  it.  The  man  that  never  tastes  it  will 
never  be  drunk  with  it. 

3rd.  It  is  dangerous  for  professors  of  religion  ever  to  taste  or 
concern  with  spirituous  liquors.  As  long  as  they  taste  it,  or 
■or  use  it,  they  are  liable  to  temptation,  and  liable  to  disgrace  re- 
ligion^ Ardent  spirits  is  a  principal  bait  that  the  Devil  and  the 
wicked  throw  out  to  ensnare  professors  and  to  draw  them  into 
sin.  I  have  heard  some  wicked  ungodly  men,  so  far  glorying  in 
their  own  shame,  and  owning  themselves  to  be  the  slaves  of  the 
Devil,  as  to  boast  how  they  had  taken  in  such  and  such  profes- 
sors of  religion,  and  led  them  on  to  intoxication,  and  they  tried 
such  another,  and  with  what  subtility  and  deceit,  and  with  what 
pretensions  to  friendship  and  politeness,  they  tried  to  get  him 
to  drink;  and,if  posible,  to  make  him  drunk.  Here  you  will 
find  these  little  petty  subalterns  of  the  Devil  (though  they  would 
wish  the  world  to  call  them  gentlemen)  coming  to  a  professor, 
■with  the  craft  and  subtility  of  their  father,  the  Devil,  professing 
every  degree  of  friendship,  and  treating  him  with  every  degree 
of  pretended  politeness.     They  drink  to  him  again  and  again, 


494  THE    DANGEROUS    AND    DESTRUCTIVE    CONSSQ,UI!:NeES 

and  urge  it,  and  press  it  upon  him.  Perhaps  they  will  bring  a 
different  kind  of  liquor;  and  here  they  urge  and  insist  upon  him 
to  drink,  time  after  time.  Perhaps  a  more  delicious  kind  of 
spirits  than  they  have  yet  tasted,  is  brought,  and  this  he  must 
taste  with  them.  If  they  find  him  off  his  guard,  and  beginning 
to  drink  it  freely,  then  they  hold  it  to  him,  and  follow  him  up, 
until  their  hellish  object  is  obtained,  until  intoxication  appears 
visible  upon  him.  Then  they  rejoice  and  triumph,  and  boast 
with  an  infernal  pleasure,  because  they  have  gained  a  victory 
over  tho  cause  of  God,  and  have  brought  the  religion  of  Jesus 
into  disgrace.  Such  persons  are  exactly  described  by  the  pro- 
phet Habakkuk,  ch.  ii.  1 5  v.  "Woe  unto  him  that  giveth  his 
neighbor  drink,  that  pattest  thy  bottle  to  him,  and  makest  him 
drunken  also,  that  thou  mayest  look  on  their  nakedness." 

,  "X  During  the  late  revival  of  religion  in  Kentucky,  a  certain  man 
who  had  a  short  time  before,  made  a  profession  and  joined  the 
church,  happened  to  be  at  a  public  gathering,  perhaps  a  mar- 

X  riage:  the  wicked  gathered  round  him,  and  persuaded  him  to 
drink  again  and  again,  until  they  had  made  him  more  than  half 
drunk.  Their  next  object  was  to  get  him  to  dance.  In  this 
attempt  they  were  likewise  successful.  While  the  poor,  un- 
happy creature  was  on  the  floor  dancing,  one  of  the  profane 
wretches  who  had  led  him  into  sin,  shouted  out  glory  to  the 
Devil,  glory  to  Beelzebub.  A  person  present  reproved  the  pro- 
fanity of  his  language.  The  fellow  replied,  when  these  profess- 
ors of  Christianity  can  draw  away  one  of  our  class  of  people 
after  them,  when  they  can  get  him  to  profess  religion,  and  pro- 
claim his  conversion,  they  shout  and  rejoice,  and  give  glory  to 
their  God.  Now,  when  we  can  draw  off  one  of  them  to  join  our 
side,  should  we  not  rejoice,  and  give  glory  to  the  Devil.  This 
poor,  hardened  sinner  (perhaps  through  the  influence  of  whiskey) 
candidly  and  honestly  spoke  out  in  words,  the  very  language  of 
every  wicked  sinner's  heart  upon  such  an  occasion.  The  car- 
nal mind  is  so  completely  at  enmity  with  God,  and  hates  God 
with  such  a  perfect  hatred,  that  it  secretly  rejoices,  and  feels  an 
infernal  pleasure  at  every  circumstance  in  the  conduct  of  pro- 
fessors of  religion,  that  promotes  the  interest  of  the  Devil's  king- 
dom, and  weakens  and  disgraces  the  cause  of  Christ. 

But,  again,  it  is  extremely  dangerous  for  professors  of  reli- 
gion to  taste  or  concern  with  spirituous  liquors.  While  ever 
they  taste  it  or  make  use  of  it,  their  characters  are  in  danger, 
their  souls  are  in  danger,  and  the  cause  of  God  is  in  danger. 
When  the  enemies  of  Christ  and  his  cross  present  their  liquor  to 
them,  they  watch  them  with  an  eagle's  eye;  they  notice  exactly 
how  much  they  pour  into  the  glass,  and  how  often  they  take  it, 
and  how  much  they  drink;  and  if  a  professing  Christian  be  in  a 
dead,  backsliding  state,  he  may  indulge  his  carnal  appetite  too 


ATTENDING   THE    USE    OF    SPIRITUOUS    LldUORB.  495 

far,  though  no  symptoms  of  intoxication  may  appear  about  him. 
And,  therefore,  the  wicked  will  find  some  ground  of  reproach,  and 
perhaps  some  such  unfavorable  insinuations  will  be  thrown  out: 
Such  a  man  is  a  professor  of  religion;  I  like  him;  he  is  none  ol 
your  stiff,  hidebound  Christians.  He  can  take  a  good  full  glass  of 
whiskey,  or  he  can  swallow  a  good  stitf  grog.  He  and  I  can 
take  a  good  hearty  drink  together.  And  he  will  be  sure  to  throw 
out  such  reflections  in  the  hearing  of  some  exemplary  professor, 
to  hurt  his  feelings.  But  if  the  question  is  proposed,  did  this 
professor  drink  to  intemperance?  Was  he  drunk?  O  no,  he  will 
answer, he  behaved  soberly,  but  he  loves  whiskey  very  well:  at 
any  rate  he  drinks  enough  for  a  christian. 

Now,  were  all  the  prolessed  followers  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
forever  to  refrain  from  the  use  of  ardent  spirits,  and  never  to 
touch,  taste  or  concern  with  them  more  than  they  would  with 
arsenic,  they  would  forever  deprive  the  Devil  of  one  of  the 
strongest  sources  of  his  temptations,  and  forever  disarm  the 
wicked  of  their  heaviest  weapons  against  the  religion  of  Jesus. 
But,  before  we  dismiss  this  particular,  I  shall  answer  some  argu- 
ments adduced  in  our  day  in  favor  of  this  little  pleasing  indul- 
gence. 

1st.  Says  one,  I  drink  ardent  spirits  in  my  family,  and  with 
my  friends  and  neighbors  when  abroad.  I  love  the  taste  of  li- 
quor, and  feel  a  pleasure  in  the  use  of  it;  but  I  am  a  sober,  tem- 
perate man;  I  do  not  drink  to  excess.  To  this  I  would  answer, 
every  man  that  drinks  ardent  spirits,  that  does  not  spew,  nor 
vomit,  nor  lie  upon  the  street,  nor  falls  from  his  horse,  calls  him- 
self a  temperate  man.  Many  of  these  temperate  men  will  con- 
sume from  a  pint  to  a  quart  of  strong  spirits  in  a  day.  Such  tem- 
perate men  are,  in  God's  account,  intemperate  drunkards.  And 
though  their  constitutions  are  now  strong,  and  they  can  bear  a 
large  quantity  of  liquor,  yet  the  habit  is  growing  fast,  and  when 
the  infirmities  of  old  age  come  on,  they  will  fall  a  prey  to  the 
power  of  their  appetite. 

2nd.  But  says  another,  I  am  a  laboring  man;  my  calling  is 
painful  and  laborious,  and  the  frequent  use  of  spirits  is  very 
strengthening  to  me;  it  creates  an  appetite  for  my  food,  and 
raises  my  animal  spirits.  I  find  very  great  refreshment  in  it. 
To  this  I  would  answer,  I  make  no  doubt  but  your  appetite  find^ 
very  great  gratification  in  it;  and,  perhaps,  if  the  matter  w=  r 
carefully  examined,  the  pleasure  you  feel  in  the  taste  of  the  liquor, 
is  the  highest  principle  from  which  you  act  in  the  use  of  it;  and, 
here,  I  would  request  your  conscience  to  answer  a  few  serious 
questions  upon  the  subject.  1st.  Does  not  your  conscience  of- 
ten tell  you  that  your  appetite  frequently  takes  the  lead  of  your 
judgment  and  conscience?  2nd.  Do  you  not  sometimes  feel  a 
consciousness  that  you  have  drunk  too  much?    3d.  Do  you  not 


496  THK   SAVGBROUI    ANS    DESTltUCTIYK    CONaE(lUSNCBB 

often  feel  a  hankering  anxiety  after  spirituous  liquors,  whether 
you  be  engaged  in  hard  labor  or  in  a  state  of  idleness?  4th. 
Are  you  not  often  secretly  afraid  that  some  person  will  discover 
that  you  have  drunk  too  much?  5th.  Do  you  not  sometimes  se- 
cretly resolve  that  you  will  be  more  cautious^  arsd  use  more  mod- 
eration in  your  drinking  for  the  future,  lest  your  intemperance 
should  be  discovered?  6th.  After  all  this,  does  not  your  appe- 
tite overcome  you,  and  bring  you  to  break  over  all  your  resolu- 
tions; and  then  are  you  not  secretly  afraid,  lest  some  person  should 
discover  that  you  have  drunk  too  much?  Now,  if  you  are  con- 
scious that  these  things  are  so,  take  it  for  granted  that  you  have 
acquired  that  habit  that  is  ripening  fast  into  intemperate  drun- 
kenness. Therefore,  for  God's  sake,  take  the  alarm,  and  stop 
before  it  is  too  late.  There  is  no  other  way  to  escape  danger 
and  destruction,  but  to  quit  the  use  of  it  altogether,  and  never 
taste  it  more  than  you  would  taste  poison  of  the  most  fatal  qual- 
ity. 

Srd.  Another  replies,  I  use  spirituous  liquors  with  moderation 
and  temperance.  I  am  conscious  before  God,  that  I  do  use  them 
with  temperance.  I  never  felt  the  evil  eftects  of  spirituous  li- 
quors to  the  present  moment. 

To  such,  I  would  answer,  if  this  be  the  case,  I  am  happy  to 
hear  it.  It  will  be  well  if  you  can  say  the  same  at  a  dying  hour.. 
But  still  I  would  tell  you  that  you  tread  upon  dangerous  ground. 
At  present  you  apprehend  no  danger.  This  was  the  case  once 
with  hundreds  who  have  since  fallen  victims  to  the  intoxicating 
poison.  Though  you  fear  no  danger  now,  yet  the  habit  may 
grow  up  indiscriminately,  and  not  be  sensjfbly  felt  for  seven 
years  yet  to  come;  and  perhaps,  when  the  habit  is  formed,  it 
may  be  seven  years  more  before  your  appetite  will  gain  the  full 
mastery  of  your  reason  and  conscience;  and  therefore,  it  is  the 
safest  ground  for  you  to  quit  the  use  of  it  in  time — to  quit  alto- 
gether. If  you  never  taste  it  till  your  dying  hour,  the  habit  will 
never  be  formed,  and  you  will  never  be  guilty  of  intoxication. 

But  we  come  to  the  second  thing  proposed — which  was,  to 
point  out  the  dreadful  consequences  attending  the  use  of  ardent 
spirits. 

1st.  One  horrible  consequence  attending  the  use  of  spirituous 
liquors,  is,  that  the  intemperate  use  of  them  degrades  and  des- 
troys the  dignity  of  human  nature,  and  sinks  a  man  below  the 
character  of  a  beast.  What  a  mournful  spectacle !  what  a  pit- 
iable sight  is  it  to  see  a  man  of  reason  and  reflection,  capable  of 
contemplating  the  perfections  of  God,  capable  of  knowing  and 
enjoying  happiness  in  God,  lying  upon  the  street  or  upon  the 
highway,  rolling  in  the  mud  like  a  filthy  swme,  spewing  and 
vomiting  like  a  dog!  or  to  see  him  coming  home  to  his  family, 
or  to  his  lodging,  his  garments  besmeared  with  mud  and  dirt,  or 


AtTKNDlNG    THS    USB    OF    fPIRITUODf    tlftUORS.  497 

torn  off  him  through  logs  and  brush,  where  he  has  blundered  along. 
See  him  coming  into  the  presence  of  decent,  genteel  company. 
***********  Hear  him  talk,  and  you  scarce- 
ly discover  the  rationality  of  man  about  him;  his  tongue  runs 
without  end  upon  the  most  trifling  subjects — pouring  out  the 
most  disgusting  foolishness  and  fulsome  nonsense.  When  he 
relates  any  particular  psssage,  in  a  few  minutes  he  forgets  that 
he  has  told  it,  and  tells  it  over  again,  and  presently  he  tells  it 
again,  and  perhaps  he  tells  it  twenty  times  over  before  he  is 
done  with  it,  until  he  tires  and  sickens  every  person  present  with 
it.  When  he  comes  to  himself,  if  he  have  the  feelings  of  a  man, 
what  mortification,  shame  and  sense  of  disgrace  does  he  feel! 
what  cutting  reflections  and  horrors  of  conscience!  and  per- 
haps, when  capable  of  examining,  he  finds  that  his  money,  his 
valuable  papers,  or  some  useful  property  is  gone,  that  they  are 
lost,  and  he  knows  not  how?  Perhaps  some  strolling  vagabond 
found  him  by  the  way,  and  picked  his  pockets. 

The  intemperate  use  of  ardent  spirits  has  a  natural  tendency 
to  sink  a  man's  character  into  contempt,  to  destroy  his  import- 
ance, and  make  him  less  than  a  cipher  in  the  world.  It  leads 
him  into  idleness,  to  gambling,  to  debauchery,  to  extravagance, 
to  the  neglect  of  business,  and  bad  management.  It  has  a  natu- 
ral tendency  to  impair  his  reason  and  destroy  his  intellectual 
powers.  Hence,  he  becomes  stupid,  senseless,  and  almost  irra- 
tional. When  he  feels  himself  sinking  into  contempt,  and  in  a 
great  measure,  neglected  by  men  of  character  and  good  conduct 
— this  sinks  him  in  his  own  estimation.  Then  he  becomes  the 
companion  of  sots  and  ruffians  and  the  meaner  class  of  man  kind. 
And,  here,  he  loses  all  sense  of  honor,  and  begins  to  care  but 
little  whether  he  has  a  character  or  not.  And  the  fatal  conse- 
•qence  of  this  is,  he  gives  himself  to  brutish  drunkenness  and  in- 
temperance, and  looks  for  happinesss  and  satisfaction  no  where 
else  but  in  his  bottle.  By  this  means,  like  a  round  body,  whirl- 
ing with  rapid  velocity  down  a  deep  descent,  he  quickly  sinks 
*upon  a  level  with  the  brutes,  becomes  a  disgrace  to  his  friends 
a  nuisance  to  the  world,  a;nd  dies  like  a  beast,  unlamented. 

Alas!  what  melanchcly  examples  of  this  kind  are  to  be  found 
all  over  the  continent  of  America!  Men  of  sense  and  genius 
that  once  filled  offices  of  importance  with  respectability;  men 
that  once  did  honor  to  their  country  in  legislative  and  executive 
departments;  men  who  fought  like  lions  upon  the  field  of  battle, 
in  the  glorious  cause  of  liberty,  and  made  themselves  famous  in 
the  esteem  of  their  country;  and  men  who,  by  prudence  and  in- 
dustry for  a  number  of  years,  had  raised  themselves  to  wealth 
and  respectability:  I  say,  of  all  these  classes,  we  find  painful  ex- 
amples of  the  deadly  poisonous  effects  of  the  intemperate  use  of 
spirituous   liquors.     Men  who  mic;ht  have   immortalized  their 

63  -^  .. 


498  THB  SAlfOKHOVS   AFD  9XSTRVCTITB   C0M1B%UXN«XS 

characters  while  the  world  exists,  becoming  filthy  sots;  yea. 
stupid  beasts  in  human  shape,  and,  at  last,  dying  like  brutes — 
their  very  death  a  comfort  to  their  friends,  and  a  means  of  purg- 
ing the  world  of  its  useless  lumber. 

2nd.  Another  fearful  consequence  that  attends  the  intempe- 
rate use  of  ardent  spirits,  is,  that  it  destroys  the  peace  and  hap- 
piness of  families,  and  lays  a  lastmg  foundation  for  broils,  dis- 
cords and  mischiefs.  How  must  it  wound  the  feelings  and  des- 
troy the  happiness  of  a  woman  of  a  tender,  delicate  sense  of 
honor,  to  see  her  husband  sinking  his  character,  and  destroying 
his  importance  by  intoxication — bringing  himself  and  family  in- 
to disgrace  and  contempt?  How  must  it  distress  and  grieve  a 
prudent,  frugal  and  industrious  woman,  who  with  careand  good 
economy,  tries  to  promote  the  prosperity  of  her  family,  when 
she  sees  her  husband  a  slave  to  his  filthy  appetite,  drunk  upon 
every  occasion,  and  by  his  attachment  to  whiskey,  neglecting 
his  business,  destroying  his  property,  enthralling  himself  in  debt, 
and  bringing  ruin  and  desolation  upon  himself  and  family?  What 
frowns,  reflections,  angry  disputes,  coolness  of  affection  and  un- 
happy quarrels  must  arise  from  such  a  dreadful  service ! 

But  let  us  pursue  the  unhappy  subject  further.  Just  see  a 
poor  filthy  drunkard  coming  home  from  the  taverns,  the  still- 
house,  the  court-house,  or  the  muster  field,  foaming,  full  of  whis- 
key inspired  with  the  very  temper  of  hell,  raging  like  an  infer- 
nal fiend  from  the  bottomless  pit.  See  him  mad  with  every 
thing,  offended  with  every  word  that  can  be  spoken  to  him.  See 
him,  like  a  bloody  savage,  seizing  the  companion  of  his  bosom, 
tearing  her  by  the  hair,  kicking  her,  beating  her,  and  abusing  her 
without  mercy  or  the  feelings  of  humanitj'.  When  this,  and 
such  like  conduct,  is  repeated  again  and  again,  what  mischief 
and  disturbance  must  inevitably  take  place  in  that  family,  until 
it  becomes  a  proper  emblem  of  hell. 

3d.  Another  awful  consequence  arising  from  the  intemperate 
use  of  ardent  spirits  is,  that  it  is  destructive  to  the  health,  and  of- 
ten to  the  lives  of  those  who  live  in  the  filthy  indulgence  of  it. 

The  intemperate  use  of  spirits  is  calculated  to  inflame  the 
blood,  to  weaken  the  nerves,  to  destroy  the  powers  of  the  stom- 
ach, and  bring  on  malignant  fevers  and  other  dangerous  disor- 
ders. Again;  travelling  at  night  from  still- house  to  still-house, 
and  riding  home  at  night  from  drinking  houses,  lying  out  whole 
nights  upon  the  cold  ground,  exposed  to  the  night  air,  to  dews 
and  frosts,  destroys  the  constitution  and  hastens  dissolution. 

But,  alas,  with  what  spectacles  of  horror,  has  spirituous  liquors 
filled  th^  world'.  How  many  have  fallen  from  their  horses  dead 
drunk,  in  the  cold  seasons  of  the  year,  and  have  frozen  to  death! 
How  many  have  had  their  necks  broken,  or  their  brains  dash- 
ed out,  by  falling  from  their  horses  while  drunk!    How  many 


ATVaifCINQ  THK   USB  OV   IPIEITUOVt   LIQ.U«lll.  499 

by  reason  of  intoxication,  have  run  into  dangerous  and  bloody 
quarrels,  and  have  been  stabbed  or  beaten  to  death  while  drunk! 
In  a  word,  what  multitudes  have  been  hurried  to  the  eternal 
world  by  drunkenness  in  the  most  dreadful,  unprepared  state ! 

4th.  Another  horrible  consequence  is,  that  drunkenness  is  an 
inlet  to  every  other  species  of  sin  and  wickedness.  You  will 
scarcely  find  a  drunkard  (if  he  be  not  so  far  depraved  as  to  glory 
in  his  shame)  but  will  positively  lie  to  conceal  his  drunkenness. 
If  he  be  able  to  keep  upon  his  feet,  or  to  sit  upon  his  horse,  h*^ 
will  deny  that  he  is  drunk.  He  will  excuse  and  extenuate  his 
crime  by  downright  lying,  and  state  a  variety  of  other  causes 
upon  which  he  tries  to  account  for  every  symptom  of  intoxication 
that  appears  about  him.  Drunkenness  opens  a  wide  door  for 
the  Devil  to  set  all  hellish  corruptions  and  evil  propensities  of  a 
man's  depraved  fallen  nature  into  agitation;  yea,  to  bring  forth 
anger,  rage,  malice,  revenge,  murder  and  filthy  obscene  lusts  in- 
to operation.  When  a  man  is  drunk,  he  is  just  like  a  machine 
in  the  Devil's  hand;  he  is  liable  to  do  any  thing  that  Satan  prompts 
to;  he  is  liable  to  steal,  to  rob,  to  commit  acts  of  uncleanness,  or 
to  perpetrate  the  most  horrid  murders,  rapes,  or  any  thing  that 
the  Devil  and  his  own  desparately  wicked  heart  inclines  him  to 
do.  So  the  habit  of  drunkenness,  when  once  it  is  contracted, 
is  always  an  introduction  to  a  numerous  train  of  other  habits  of 
horrible  wickedness — such  as  idleness,  gambling,  debauchery, 
quarrelling,  fighting,  profane  swearing,  horrid  blasphemies,  &c. 

5th.  Another  fatal  consequence  that  attends  drunkenness,  is 
that  it  ruins  a  man's  estate,  and  reduces  him  and  his  family  to 
poverty,  extreme  want  and  wretchedness.  The  temperate  use 
of  ardent  spirits,  the  year  round,  is  a  high  tax  upon  a  man's  for- 
tune. A  man  of  strict  sobriety,  once  told  me  that  fifty  dollars 
would  not  pay  for  the  spirits  drunk  in  his  family  in  the  course 
of  a  year.  What,  then,  must  be  the  annual  expenses  of  a  com- 
mon drunkard  for  the  spirits  intemperately  used  in  his  house — 
his  tavern  expenses,  and  the  expenses  of  his  extravagant  drunk- 
en frolics?  This,  no  doubt,  in  the  course  of  a  year,  will  amount 
to  a  heavy  sum,  equal,  if  not  superior  to  his  income.  Again:  to 
this  add  what  is  lost  by  gambling;  what  is  lost  by  idleness  and 
neglect  of  business;  what  is  lost  by  his  foolish  trades  and  bar- 
gains when  he  is  drunk,  and  tlie  advantages  that  are  taken  of 
him  by  speculators  and  designing  men  when  intoxicated.  By 
such  a  train  of  expenses  and  losses,  he  becomes  enthralled  in  im- 
mense debts;  his  credit  sinks  and  his  business  falls  altogether 
into  disorder;  his  creditors  begin  to  harass  him;  one  judgment 
is  obtained  against  him  after  another;  sheriffs  and  constables 
from  every  quarter  come  in  with  their  executions;  his  proper- 
ty is  seized  and  sold  for  almost  nothing,  and,  perhaps,  in  a  few 
months,  he  is  brought  to  poverty  and  extreme  want. 


500  TMK    DANGEROUS    AND    DESTRUCTIVE    eONIEQ,rENCEt. 

Now,  whiskey  has  brought  him  to  rags  and  wretchedness — 
yet  whiskey  is  the  source  of  his  consolation,  and,  hence,  he 
drinks  on  until  he  becomes  a  disgrace  to  humanity,  and  a  nuisance 
to  the  society  ot  men,  and,  perhaps,  dies  like  a  brute,  unlamen- 
ted. 

6th.  The  intemperate  use  of  ardent  spirits  puts  a  man  beyond 
hope,  and  for  the  most  part,  beyond  all  possibility  of  recovery. 
Let  a  man  once  become  a  habitual  dnmkard,  and  his  case  is 
nearly,  if  not  entirely,  hopeless.  You  may  convince  his  judg- 
ment that  he  is  wrong,  and  that  his  present  course  will  ruin  him 
in  time  and  through  eternity.  You  may  touch  his  conscience 
with  a  sense  of  his  guilt,  and  he  will  candidly  and  honestly  ac- 
knowledge the  baseness  of  his  conduct,  and  lament  his  dismal 
situcLion  with  Hoods  of  tears.  He  will  make  an  hundred  pro- 
mises that  he  will  change  his  conduct;  that  he  will  never  do  as 
he  has  done,  and  that  he  will  drmk  no  more.  But  let  the  bot- 
tle be  presented  to  him  the  next  hour — his  resolutions  are  all 
gone;  his  appetite  has  effectually  gained  the  mastery  over  his 
judgment,  his  reason  and  his  conscience.  So  we  commonly 
iind  the  drunkard  spending  his  life  in  a  reciprocal  course  of  sin- 
ning and  repenting,  and  repenting  and  sinning,  often  making 
solemn  resolutions  to  amend  his  conduct,  and  as  often  breaking 
these  resolutions  as  he  can  get  whiskey. 

When  a  man  becomes  a  habitual  drunkard,  he  appears  to  be 
within  a  step  of  losing  his  day  of  grace,  and  sealing  his  damna- 
tion. He  may  have  solemn  calls  from  God  to  repent  and  fly 
from  the  wrath  to  come;  he  may  feel  the  motions  of  the  divine 
Spirit,  and  be  the  subject  of  the  most  awful  awakenings;  but  as 
soon  as  he  comes  to  the  tavern,  to  the  still  house,  or  into  a  com- 
pany of  drunkards,  he  begins  to  dabble  with  the  temptation,  and 
presently  he  is  ensnared.  The  Devil  sends  some  of  his  old  com- 
panions to  lead  him  on  by  degrees,  until  they  have  him  drunk, 
and  so  we  commonly  hear  no  more  of  his  convictions  or  serioas 
impressions  about  religion,  but  now  he  turns  like  the  dog  to  his 
vomit,  or  the  sow  that  was  washed  to  her  wallowing  in  the  mire. 
I  have  in  the  course  of  my  life,  seen  three  considerable  revi- 
vals of  religion,  during  which  I  have  had  the  opportunity  of  con- 
versing with  a  great  many  persons  under  solemn  awakenings, 
and  of  knowing  their  exercises  particularly;  and  I  have  made 
this  observation — that  I  scarcely  know  any  that  came  under  the 
description  of  habitual  drunkards,  (however  hopeful  their  con- 
victions might  appear  for  a  time)  that  ever  embraced  true  reli- 
gion,— and  if  any  of  that  character  did  profess  to  experience  re- 
ligion, they  were  no  honor  to  the  cause  of  Christ  but  a  burden 
to  the  church;  as  they  would  be  frequently  dabbling  with  the 
Devil's  baitp  and  as  frequently  drunk. 


ATTENDING    THE    USE    OF    iPIMTUOUS    LKIUORS,  501 

7th.  The  most  dreadful  consequence  that  attends  the  sin  of 
drunkenness  is,  that  it  ends  in  hell,  and  there  eflectually  plunges 
the  immortal  soul  into  eternal  perdition.  Says  the  prophet,  Isa. 
5th.  chapter  11th  verse,  "Woe  unto  them  that  rise  early  in  the 
morning,  that  they  may  follow  strong  drink,  that  continue  until 
night,  till  wine  inflame  them."  In  the  14th  verse,  he  describes 
their  fearful  doom:  "Therefore,  hell  hath  enlarged  herself,  and 
opened  her  mouth  without  measure,  and  therefore  their  glory, 
and  their  multitude  and  their  pomp;  and  he  that  rejoiceth,  shall 
descend  into  it."  The  Spirit  of  God,  by  the  Apostle,  expressly 
declares,  in  1  Cor.  vi.  10,  That  drunkards  shall  not  inherit  the 
kingdom  of  God — and  again,  he  ranks  drunkenness  among  the 
works  of  the  devil.  But  when  we  consider  that  drunkenness  in- 
spires the  unhappy  subjects  of  it,  with  the  spirit,  the  temper  and 
disposition  of  hell,  it  then  naturally  follows,  in  the  reason  and  fit- 
ness of  things,  that  hell  is  their  most  proper  and  suitable  place. 

Just  observe  their  conduct  upon  a  public  day,  at  a  court,  an 
election,  or  a  general  muster.  Go  into  a  tavern  and  see  the 
common  hall  filled  with  creatures  in  the  shape  and  likeness  of 
men,  but  inspired  with  the  temper  of  devils:  see  them  swallow- 
ing down  the  intoxicating  poison;  hear  their  horrid  oaths  and 
blasphemies,  the  very  language  of  the  infernal  gulf  belching  from 
their  mouths. — Hear  their  confused  noise,  their  tumult  and  dis- 
traction, and  their  appearance  much  more  resembles  a  band  of 
devils  from  the  bottomless  pit,  than  a  company  of  rational,  in- 
telligent men. 

Just  go  to  the  muster  field  or  a  general  review — see  several 
hundred  men  upon  parade — their  sobriety,  their  attention  to 
orders  and  decent  conduct  through  every  part  of  the  military 
exercises  of  the  day,  seem  to  do  honor  to  their  country.  You 
would  rejoice  to  see  so  large  a  company  of  rational,  respectable 
citizens.  But  wait  until  they  are  dismissed  and  receive  their 
officers.  Alas,  what  a  melancholy  change  takes  place!  You 
will  see  a  large  majority  of  the  same  men  turned  into  an  ap- 
pearance resembling  perfect  brutes  or  devils.  Hear  the  sound 
of  wild  confusion  raised,  worse  than  a  Bedlam.  See  the  mad 
commotion  and  tumult  that  takes  place  round  the  whiskey  bar- 
rel— the  yells  and  shrieks,  the  horrid  oaths  and  hellish  blasphe- 
mies, as  though  a  company  of  demons  had  come  up  from  hell. 
Presently,  when  the  whiskey  begins  to  operate — when  they 
begin  to  feel  its  intoxicating  power,  the  very  spirit  and  temper 
of  hell  begins  to  appear.  Now  bloody  quarrels  begin  in  every 
part  of  the  vast  multitude:  see  men  tearing  off  their  clothes- 
seizing  each  other  like  dogs — tearing  each  other  by  the  hair — 
beating  and  abusing  one  another — biting  each  other's  flesh — 
gouging  out  one  another's  eyes  with  the  madness  and  fury  of 
ddvilfi. 


d03  THS  BANAEROITS  AND  »KSTaueTITB   COVIIQClirCIt 

Presently,  you  will  see  a  number  of  these  poor  bacchanalians 
reeling  and  staggering  about,  their  eyes  swelled  and  blackened, 
their  blood  streaming,  bearing  visible  marks  of  inhuman  abuse, 
others  you  will  see  hanging  upon  a  fence,  or  leaning  upon  a 
wall  spewing  out  their  vomit  like  dogs;  others  again  you  will 
find,  like  filthy  swine,  lying  in  corners,  stretched  upon  the  street, 
or  wallowing  in  the  mud  and  dirt;  and  again,  when  they  dis- 
perse, and  attempt  to  go  home,  see  Ihem  in  companies  upon 
every  road,  and  in  every  direction — what  loud  talk,  distracted 
noise,  horrid  oaths,  and  fearful  blasphemies  fill  the  very  air  as 
they  pass  along?  See  them  straining  their  horses  to  the  gallop^ 
yelling  and  shrieking  like  infernal  fiends — perhaps  some  dashed 
from  their  horses,  either  killed  outright,  or  their  bodies  bruised 
and  their  limbs  broken — some  falling  off,  and  lying  all  night  by 
the  high-way,  liable  to  be  trodden  to  death  by  horses,  or  torn  to 
pieces  by  wild  beasts. 

Now  let  reason  and  divine  revelation  speak  and  determine 
what  place,  in  all  the  vast  extended  universe,  is  most  fit,  proper 
and  suitable  for  such  a  class  or  description  of  men — Certainly 
the  place  that  is  most  suitable  to  their  temper  and  disposition — ■ 
and  that  is  hell. 

Let  creatures  of  such  a  disposition  be  taken  into  the  pure 
mansions  of  the  blessed  in  heaven,  they  would  have  no  more 
relish  for  the  pure  spiritual  joys  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  than  a 
hog  inured  to  the  puddle,  and  raised  by  the  pot-ail  trough, 
would  have  for  the  grandieur  and  delicious  accomodations  of  a 
palace.  Yea,  take  such  monsters,  in  fact  half  brutes  half  dev- 
ils, into  heaven;  the  company,  the  exerci?es  and  employments 
of  the  place,  would  be  so  contrary  to  the  vitiated  taste  of  their 
filthy  natures,  that  it  would  be  more  intolerable  to  them  than 
hell.  Yea,  rather  than  spend  an  eternity  in  a  place  so  contra- 
ry to  their  temper  and  disposition,  they  would  fly  from  the  pre- 
cnce  of  God,  and  leap  over  the  walls  of  heaven  and  hide  them- 
selves in  the  bottomless  pit  of  hell. 

From  what  has  been  said  respecting  the  dreadful  consequen- 
ces attending  the  use  of  ardent  spirits,  we  may  see  some  of  the 
difficulties  that  attend  the  road  to  hell.  We  may  see  at  once 
how  large  a  sacrifice  the  drunkard  has  to  make  in  order  to  ac- 
complish his  own  damnation. 

1st.  He  has  to  part  with  his  character,  his  dignity  and  im- 
portance as  a  man.  He  must  degrade  himself  below  the  char- 
acter of  a  beast,  and  sink  himself  into  the  utmost  contempt  and 
disgrace. 

2nd.  He  must  part  with  the  happiness,  the  peace,  and  comfort 
of  his  family;  he  must  live  in  a  state  of  enmity,  hatred  and  dis- 
turbance even  with  the  companion  of  his  bosom,  and  reduce  his 
bouse  to  a  perfect  emblem  of  hell. 


ATTXHMlia   ftk   USK   Or   SPIRITUOUS    LIQUORS.  50% 

3rd.  He  must  part  with  his  health,  and  lay  himself  liable  to 
all  the  noxious  disorders  and  diseases  arising  from  intemperance; 
yea,  he  must  lay  himself  liable  to  be  frozen  to  death,  to  be  killed 
by  a  fall  from  his  horse,  and  to  all  the  fatal  accidents  peculiar 
to  a  habit  of  drunkenness. 

4th.  He  must  part  with  his  estate,  his  money  and  property, 
and  sink  himself  and  his  family  into  poverty,  want  and  extreme 
wretchedness. 

5th.  He  must  endure  the  most  fearful  horrors  of  conscience, 
the  most  keen,  cutting  reflections  of  his  own  mind,  the  most 
mortifying  sense  of  the  shame,  disgrace  and  contempt  to  which 
he  has  reduced  himself,  and  sometimes  fearful  apprehensions  of 
future  misery  and  torment,  equal  to  a  hell  upon  earth. 

In  a  word,  for  the  gratification  of  this  filthy  appetite,  he  must 
part  with  all  that  is  comfortable  and  desirable  in  this  life,  and 
the  life  to  conoe.  He  must  resist  the  Holy  Ghost,  murder  con- 
science, fight  against  the  light  of  conviction,  and  force  h;s  way 
into  hell  in  spite  of  all  his  tender  feeling,  honor,  interest,  family 
comfort,  reason,  conscience,  divine  revelation,  and  the  tears, 
prayers,  entreaties,  warnings,  reproofs  and  admonitions  of 
friends,  relations  and  the  ministers  and  people  of  God. 

8th.  The  last  dreadful  consequence  we  shall  mention  is,  that 
the  use  of  spirituous  liquors  often  brings  reproach  and  disgrace 
upon  the  religion  of  Jesus,  and  opens  the  mouths  of  the  uncir- 
cumcised  in  heart  to  blaspheme. 

One  principal  objection  which  deists  and  men  of  depraved 
morals,  raise  against  the  religion  of  Jesus,  is,  the  untender  walk 
and  ungodly  conduct  of  its  professors:  and  the  two  principal 
crimes  that  they  bring  forward  as  a  reproach  to  professors,  are, 
1st.  'I'heir  hardness  and  tightness  in  their  dealings,  and  the  un- 
just advantages  that  some  take  in  bargains;  and,  2d.  The  in- 
temperate use  of  spirituous  liquors.  By  these  two  things,  I  make 
no  doubt  but  professors  of  religion  have  thrown  stumbling 
blocks  in  the  way  of  sinners,  that  have  proved  the  means  of 
prejudicing  them  against  the  ways  of  God,  to  the  sealing  of  their 
damnation. 

Our  present  business  is  to  consider  the  last  of  these,  viz:  the 
disgrace  that  intemperance  brings  upon  Christianity.  And,  here, 
we  would  observe,  that  wicked  and  ungodly  men  suppose  that 
God's  people  should  be  perfect  creatures;  and  so  far  they  are 
right — for  the  law  of  God  requires  them  to  be  such;  and  the 
mark  which  the  gospel  of  Christ  requires  us  to  aim  at,  is  per- 
fection; and,  indeed,  perfection  is  the  very  heaven  the  real 
Christian  desires  to  obtain.  Then,  when  the  infidel  or  profane 
sinner  sees  the  professor  of  religion  in  the  tavern  or  at  the  still 
house,  drinking  with  the  wicked,  swallowing  down  one  full  glass 
of  stiff  grog   after  another;  or  when  he  discovers  his  tongue 


504  THE    DANOKROUS    AND   DE3TRUCTITE    C0NSBQ,UK1IC2S 

hobbling,  his  face  inflamed,  and  his  ejes  red;  or  when  he  see« 
hinn  catching  at  the  wall,  or  holding  by  the  door-post,  whetr  he 
goes  out;  or  staggering  fronn  side  to  side  in  his  walk,  his  course 
resembling  the  worm  of  a  fence — at  once  the  sinner  marks  him 
down  for  a  hypocrite.  And  hence,  upon  all  occasions,  such  flouts 
as  these  are  thrown  out:  Such  a  man  is  a  great  professor;  or, 
perhaps,  he  is  an  elder  of  the  church;  he  prays  in  his  family, 
night  and  morning;  he  sits  down  at  the  communion  table;  he 
makes  agreatado  about  religion,  but  he  is  a  rotten  hypocrite; 
he  has  just  about  as  much  religion  as  I  have  myself;  he  can  take 

as  stiff  agrog  as  I  can;  yes,  such  a  day  I  saw   him  at 's 

right  drunk;  at  any  rate  he  could  not  talk  plain,  nor  walk 
straight^ — and  I  call  that  drunk.  What  is  he  an  elder?  In  fact, 
if  he  is,  he  is  a  wet  one.  Was  he  not  at  the  communion  table 
such  a  Sabbath?  O shocking!  such  n  communicant!  Alas! 
have  not  the  wicked  very  often  suflScient  grounds  for  such  cutting 
remarks?  How  does  such  conduct  in  professors  stab  the  church 
of  Christ  to  the  life!  How  does  it  open  the  mouths  of  the  un- 
circumcised  in  heart  to  blaspheme  the  precious  name  of  Jesus! 

When  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  had  but  twelve  followers,  one  of 
them  was  a  devil,  a  Judas,  a  traitor.  So  in  every  age  of  the 
church  until  the  present  day — there  are  tares  among  tlje  wheat, 
Wolves  in  sheep's  clothing,  that  wish  to  mingle  with  Christ's 
sheep,  Judases  among  the  true  disciples;  persons  that  have  by 
some  means  got  a  standing  in  the  church,  but  are  still  stabbing 
and  wounding  the  cause  of  God,  by  gratifying  their  filthy  appe- 
tites. But  still  they  call  themselves  temperate  men,  and  wish 
the  world  to  think  they  are  Christians.  In  their  own  apprehen- 
sion, they  are  never  drunk,  inasmuch  as  they  do  not  spew,  nor 
vomit,  nor  fall  from  their  horses,  nor  lie  upon  the  high  way. 
Professing  Christians,  such  as  are  Christians  in  reality,  are  often 
hurt  by  seeing  them  tippling  in  the  taverns,  and  at  public  gath- 
eringSyhouse  raisings  log  rollings,  &c.  making  too  free  a  use 
of  the  bottle,  and  shewing  some  symptoms  of  having  drank  too 
much?  On  all  such  occasions,  the  wicked  are  watching  them 
with  an  eagle's  eye.  And  hence,  the  report  is  always  on  the 
wins  among  the  ungodly.  Such  a  professor  was  three  sheets  to 
the  wind;  such  a  one  drinks  hard  for  a  Christian;  I  dout  under- 
stand these  drunken  Christians,  &c. 

Now,  I  would  appeal  to  the  consciences  of  these  drinking 
professors!  If  they  are  not  conscious  themselves  at  such  times, 
that  they  have  taken  too  much  liqucT?  if  they  are  not  secretly 
afraid  that  some  person  will  suspect  that  they  have  drunk  too 
much?  if  they  are  not,  at  these  times,  at  great  pains  to  walk 
straight  and  upright,  and  to  place  their  words  in  proper  order* 
lest  thpy  should  be  suspected  to  have  drunk  too  much?  But  if  a 
fellow  professor  suspects  it,  and  feels  hurt  upon  the  occasion. 


A.TTKNnNO   THS   USl  Of   SPiRITUOUS   tiaUOR*.  505 

and  in  the  spirit  and  temper  of  Christ,  goes  to  one,  and  tells 
him  in  such  language  as  this:  My  friend,  you  drink  too  free; 
your  conduct  is  a  reproach  to  the  cause  of  God — you  will  find 
him  pointedly  denying  it,  and  bringing  forward  a  hundred  other 
causes  and  reasons,  upon  which  he  tries  to  account  for  every 
symptom  of  intoxication  that  appears  about  him.  If  you  com- 
plain to  the  church,  and  he  be  cited  to  appear  before  the  church 
or  session,  what  rancor,  malice,  and  resentment  does  he  mani- 
fest against  his  accuser!  How  often  do  such  ideas  as  these  flow 
from  his  heart,  and  in  words  fall  from  his  tongue — He  is  a  tri- 
fling little  fellow — He  is  always  taking  more  upon  him  than  be- 
comes him — It  would  be  well  that  he  would  mind  himself— If  he 
would  look  at  home  he  would  find  as  much  in  his  own  conduct 
to  pick  at,  as  he  does  in  mine.  When  the  business  Comes  to 
trial,  how  will  he  try  to  conceal  his  guilt,  by  feigned  excuses, 
equivocations  and  downright  lies  and  falsehoods!  If  the  fact 
is  proven,  and  the  minister  and  session  deals  honestly  with  him, 
presently  he  is  offended  with  the  church,  disgusted  with  the  min- 
ister, and  mad  with  the  session.  It  is  a  pity,  indeed,  that  the 
conduct  of  such  persons  should  be  a  reproach  to  the  religion  of 
Jesus,  when  the  very  reason  and  procuring  cause  of  their  con- 
duct is  the  total  want  of  religion,  if  the  example  of  Jesus 
Christ  and  his  apostles,  tolerated  or  encouraged  tippling,  intem- 
perance or  intoxication,  or  cheating  and  defrauding,  then  infi- 
dels would  be  more  justifiable  in  their  scoffs  and  reproaches  at 
Christianity.  But  when  we  consider  that  the  precepts  of  the 
gospel  requires  the  purest,  strictest  morality,  and  the  most  holy, 
heavenly  obedience  to  every  command  of  the  law  of  God,  and 
that  the  life  and  example  of  its  divine  author  was  spotless  holi- 
ness, and  untainted  purity,  then  the  base  conduct  of  professors 
of  religion,  upon  the  principles  of  Justice,  ought  to  be  no  re- 
proach to  the  religion  of  Jesus — but  to  themselves  alone. 

But  the  wounds  that  religion  receives  from  persons  of  the  fore- 
going description,  are  small,  and  scarcely  disceraable,  when  com- 
pared with  the  falls  and  blunders  of  real  experimental  chris- 
tians, who  have  seen  the  glory  of  God  in  tbe  face  of  Jesus,  by 
the  eye  of  faith,  and  have  felt  the  love  of  Christ  that  passes 
knowledge,  shed  abroad  in  their  hearts. 

To  see  a  man  that  has  made  a  shining  profession  before  the 
world,  that  has  stood  like  a  tall  cedar  in  the  garden  of  God,  for 
a  number  of  years,  that  has  appeared  for  a  long  time  to  bring 
forth  fruit  to  the  glory  of  God — one  that,  as  an  elder  of  the 
church,  has  been  an  example  of  piety,  a  guide  to  the  youth  and 
inexperienced;  or  a  minister  of  the  gospel,  who  has  been  a 
burning  shining  light,  an  instrument  in  the  conversion  of  sinners, 
the  spiritual  father  of  many  souls — to  see  such  a  one  drunk  with 
the  intoxicating  cup,  degrading  his  heaven-born  character  to  a 

64 


60&  THE   BANffEROTTS    AND   DBSTRTCTIVE    CONSEaUENCBS 

level  with  the  swinnish  sinner — alas,  how  deep  the  wound!  How 
does  Zion  bleed  and  weep,  and  hang  her  fainting  head  while 
the  wicked  rejoice,  devils  exult,  and  all  the  dark  vaults  of  hell 
resound  with  shouts  of  triumph.  From  such  mournful  consider- 
ations, let  all  the  friends  of  Jesus  that  feel  his  cause  as  dear  to 
them  as  their  own  souls,,  be  entreated  never  to  taste  or  concern 
with  the  intoxicating  fluid.  As  long  as  they  never  taste  it,  they 
will  never  be  intoxicated,  nor  wound  nor  dishonor  religion  by  it. 
But  we  shall  conclude  the  subject  with  the  following  exhorta- 
tion. 

AN    ADDMRS    TO    THE   FOLLOWERS    OP   THE    LORD    JESUS    CHRIST. 

My  dare  Christian  Friends  and  Brethren: — You  profess  to 
have  deserted  the  Devil's  camp,  and  to  have  enlisted  yourselves 
under  the  banner  of  King  Jesus.  You  have  often  expressed  in 
words,  your  blessed  hopes  of  eternal  life.  You  have  declared, 
by  your  conduct,  every  time  that  you  have  sat  down  at  the  JiOrd's 
table,  that  you  have  felt  the  pangs  of  the  new  birth,  that  you 
have  entered  into  Christ's  family,  through  the  strait  gate  of  a 
saving  conversion,  that  you  have,  by  faith  beheld  the  glory  of 
God  as  it  shines  in  the  face  of  Jesus,  and  that  you  have  receiv- 
ed the  spirit  of  adoption  in  your  hearts,  whereby  you  are  enabled 
to  cry  Abba  Father.  You  have  often  professed  to  have  felt  the 
witness  of  the  word  and  spirit  of  a  God  of  truth,  bearing  wit- 
ness with   your  spirits  that  you  are  the  children  of  God. 

If  these  things  be  so,  you  are,  in  truth,  the  followers  of 
Christ;  and  if  you  be  Christians  indeed,  and  not  formal  hypo- 
crites, then  I  am  sure  your  daily  exercise  and  employment  will 
be  to  mortify  the  deeds  of  the  body,  to  crucify  the  flesh  with  the 
afiections  and  lusts,  to  deny  yourselves,  to  take  up  your  cross  and 
follow  Christ.  It  will  be  to  cutoff  your  right  hand  sins,  and  to 
pluck  out  your  right  eye  sins,  to  lay  aside  every  weight,  and  the 
sins  that  easily  beset  you,  and  to  run  with  patience  the  race  that 
is  set  before  you. 

Now,  if  you  have  these  evidences  of  a  progressive  work  of 
sanctification  going  on  in  your  souls,  I  am  sure  that  you  are  par- 
ticularly attentive  to  that  solemn  admonition  of  your  divine 
Lord,  viz.  Watch  and  pray  lest  you  enter  into  temptation — Luke, 
xxii  ch.  46  ver.  That  you  are  particularly  attentive  to  that  im- 
portant direction  of  the  Divine  Spirit,  1  Thes.  v.  chap.  22  ver. 
To  abstain  from  all  appearance  of  evil. 

My  Christian  friends,  if  th^^se  things  be  so,  I  apprehend  you 
will  attend  to  the  advice  of  a  friend  that  feels  himself  unworthy 
to  be  called  a  brother,  and  who,  if  he  ever  enters  the  pearly 
gates  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  will  feel  himself  the  greatest  won- 
der of  sovereign  grace.  But,  as  I  wish  the  prosperity  of  Zion, 
and  Christ's  bleeding  cause,  to  rise  triumphant  over  all  tha 
bloody  stabs  that  she  has  received  from  her  professed  friends,  I 


ATTKNBIN»   THE  tTiE  OF  SPIRITUOUS   LIQUORS*  607 

would  pray  you,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  to  pause,  to  reflect) 
and  consider  the  wounds,  the  reproaclies  and  deadly  stabs  that 
the  church  of  Christ  has  received  just  by  the  use  of  spirituous 
liquors.  I  would  ask  you,  before  God,  would  it  not  be  an  un- 
speakable advantage  to  the  church  of  God,  and  a  source  of  com- 
fort to  every  individual  professor  of  religion,  that  loves  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  in  truth  and  sincerity,  if  Christ's  professed  followers 
would  just  disarm  the  Devil  of  one  of  his  heaviest  weapons 
against  the  cause  of  God,  and  deprive  him  of  one  of  ♦his  prin- 
cipal sources  of  temptation,  by  which  he  destroys  the  souls  of 
men,  and  disgraces  the  religion  of  the  blessed  Jesus;  and  that, 
my  Christian  friends,  you  can  do,  by  refraining,  and  forever 
avoiding  the  use  of  ardent  spirits.  If  you  never  taste,  touch  or 
concern  with  them  in  any  place,  in  any  company,  or  upon  any 
occasion  whatsoever,  you  will  never  be  intoxicated — you  will 
never  be  ensnared  by  tliat  temptation.  Spirituous  liquors,  then, 
will  never  be  the  cause  of  bringing  you  to  dishonor  God,  to  de- 
file your  consciences,  and  disgrace  the  religion  of  Jesus. 

As  long  as  the  professors  of  religion  continue  to  dabble  with 
this  bait  of  the  Devil,  they  are  ever  in  danger  of  swallowing 
his  hook. 

They  may  plead  for  the  moderate,  temperate  use  of  it,  and  as 
we  have  already  observed,  in  the  moderate,  temperate  use  of  it, 
acquire  a  habit  that  will  not  be  easily  eradicated;  and,  there- 
fore, at  some  unguarded  moment,  when  danger  is  least  expected, 
when  they  are  otf  their  guard,  when  the  Devil  finds  them  negli- 
gent in  the  exercise  of  watching  and  prayer,  they  may  fall  an 
early  prey  to  this  infernal  snare.  Then  how  will  the  wicked  re- 
joice and  triumph  with  all  the  infernal  pleasure  of  their  father, 
the  Devil !  With  what  hellish  delight  and  satisfaction,  will  they 
try  to  degrade  and  reproach  the  religion  of  the  blessed  Jesus; 
and,  had  they  but  power  equal  to  the  malignity  of  their  hearts, 
they  would  totally  banish  it  from  the  world. 

Again  let  me  entreat  you,  as  you  profess  to  love  the  Lord  Je- 
sus Christ,  and  would  abstain  from  all  appearance  of  evil  to 
avoid  going  into  taverns  and  still-houses,  and  tippling  shops,  as 
you  would  avoid  the  broad  road  to  hell.  By  venturing  into  such 
places,  and  touching,  tasting,  or  concerning  with  the  intoxicat- 
ing poison  is  just  to  venture  upon  the  Devil's  ground,  and  to  go 
into  the  way  of  temptation.  Whenever  the  Devil  finds  you 
there,  he  has  his  eye  upon  you,  and  is  sure  to  set  his  trap  for 
you,  and  he  has  often  his  deputies  and  little  petty  demons  in  hu- 
man shape,  to  present  you  with  the  bait.  If  ever  a  soldier  wan- 
ders off  from  the  camp  and  entrenchments  of  his  prince  or  gen- 
eral, and  is  found  trifling  within  the  enemy's  lines,  he  is  sure 
to  fall  into  the  enem/s  hands.     So  if  the  best  Christian  upon 


508  THE   DAN»HI10U»    Alffi   »B«TRUCTIT«    C0N8KQ,UKNCKS 

earth  ventures  upon  the  Devil's  ground,  he  is  sure  to  find  the 
Devil  too  hard  for  him. 

Again:  wherever  you  are,  in  whatever  company,  if  whiskey 
is  in  circulation,  danger  is  near,  and  very  often  the  Devil  is 
near.  Perhaps  you  may  reply  to  this  observation,  with  the 
boldness  of  a  self-confident  Peter,  that  you  apprehend  no  dan- 
ger— you  are  a  sober,  temperate  man — you  can  take  a  moderate 
refreshment;  but  the  Devil  and  the  wicked  cannot  take  you  in. 
I  would  answer  you  in  the  words  of  the  blessed  Jesus — Watch 
and  pray  lest  you  enter  into  temptation;  Simon,  Simon,  Satan 
hath  desired  to  have  you,  that  he  may  sift  you  as  wheat.  Sup- 
pose you  have  lived  in  the  temperate  use  of  ardent  spirits  for 
half  a  century,  and  have  never  been  overtaken  or  ensnared  by 
it,  it  was  the  goodness  of  God,  and  nothing  good  in  you,  that 
has  preserved  you  so  long  from  falling;  for  while  you  use  it,  or 
concern  with  it,  you  are  playing  with  a  viper,  and  taking  fire  in 
your  bosom. 

If  the  Devil  is  near,  and  danger  near,  in  every  company  where 
whiskey  is  freely  used,  and  we  are  sure  that  it  is  the  Devil's  bait, 
the  subtle  snare  into  which  thousands  and  millions  have  fallen, 
and  have  been  irrevocably  lost,  to  what  danger,  then,  are  poor, 
feeble,  imperfect  mortals  exposed,  as  long  as  they  taste  or  con- 
cern with  it.  The  Devil's  snare  is  laid  for  them  in  every  direc- 
tion. If  they  are  called  to  a  court  of  justice,  at  a  public  time, 
there  is  whiskey  upon  every  side;  and  friends  and  neighbors, 
and  sometimes  some  of  Satap's  deputies,  inviting  them  and 
pressing  upon  them  to  drink.  If  they  attend  the  duties  of  the 
musterfield,  where  custom  has  made  it  necessary  for  the  com- 
manding officers  to  give  a  treat  sufficient  to  make  every  man 
drunk,  or  else  they  lose  their  popularity;  and  here  there  is  dan- 
ger. If  they  go  to  assist  their  neighbor  to  husk  his  corn,  to  reap 
down  his  grain,  to  raise  his  house,  or  to  roll  his  logs,  none  of 
these  things  can  be  done  without* whiskey,  and  here,  if  they 
taste  it,  they  are  in  danger. 

Again,  there  are  many  of  the  men  of  the  world  so  depraved 
and  wicked,  (as  I  have  heard  themselves  boasting  and  vaunting,) 
that  they  will  try  to  ensnare  and  take  in  a  professor  of  religion, 
if  they  find  he  will  drink  with  them.  Hence  they  will  bring 
their  liquor  to  him,  again  and  again,  and  entreat  him  to  drink; 
and  here  they  will  try  to  grace  every  part  of  their  conduct  with 
kindness,  friendship  or  politeness,  when,  perhaps,  like  the  Old 
Serpent,  their  object  is  merely  to  ensnare  him  and  draw  him 
into  sin;  and,  it  may  be, if  they  cannot  lead  him  on  to  intoxica- 
tion, yet  if  he  keep  tasting  it  with  them,  it  is  a  thousand  to  one 
but  they  will  stab  his  character,  and  stab  the  religion  of  Jesus 


ATTENBING    THK    USE    0»    SPIRIXrOUS    UQ,UORS.  509 

through  him,  with  dark  hints  and  insinuations,  that  he  loves 
whiskey  too  well,  and  that  he  drinks  hard  to  be  a  Christian.* 

Now,  my  dear  Christian  friends,  if  the  prayer  of  your  hearts 
is  the  sixth  petition  ot  the  Lord's  prayer — ^And  lead  us  not  into 
temptation^  but  deliver  us  from  evil;  it  is  the  desire  of  your 
hearts  to  abstain  from  all  appearance  of  evil;  if  you  wish  to  glo- 
rify God  with  your  bodies  and  spirits,  which  are  his,  then  bid  an 
eternal  adieu  to  the  intoxicating  poison — shun  it,  and  avoid  it, 
as  you  would  the  poison  of  a  serpent;  then  the  Devil  and  the 
wicked  will  never  be  able  to  ensnare  you  by  it,  to  reproach  you, 
or  to  stab  the  cause  of  God,  through  you,  upon  that  score.  By 
so  doing,  you  will  reduce  the  Devil  and  his  children  to  the  ne- 
cessity of  trying  some  new  project,  in  ordei  to  draw  you  into 
sin. 

But  are  there  any  of  the  professing  followers  of  the  Lord  Je- 
sus Christ  that  keep  distilleries,  and  for  the  gain  of  this  present 
world,  manufacture  the  rich  blessings  that  fall  from  the  bountiful 
hand  of  God,  into  spirituous  liquors,  to  the  advancement  of  the 
Devil's  kingdom,  the  destruction  of  men's  souls  and  the  disgrace 
of  Christianity?  Is  it  not  the  case  that  the  corn,  the  rye  and 
the  wheat,  which  God,  in  his  infinite  goodness,  has  bestowed 
upon  the  world  as  the  staff  of  life,  and  the  fruit  of  the  orchard, 
which  he  has  given  for  man's  comfort  and  support,  are  taken  by 
distillers  and  manufactured  into  a  poison  destructive  to  the  souls 
and  bodies,  characters  and  estates  of  the  poor  human  race? 

The  ancient  Mythologists  tell  us  about  the  Cyclops,  beings  of 
a  monstrous  description,  whose  business  it  was  to  forge  thunder- 
bolts for  Jupiter.  But  how  much  more  horrible  may  the  de- 
scription of  the  distillers  be,  when  their  employment  is,  in  fact, 
to  forge  bolts  ofdestruction,  instruments  of  eternal  death  for  the 
Devil,  by  which  he  carries  thousands  and  millions  of  poor,  lost 
sinners  to  the  dark  regions  of  hell!  and  by  which  he  ensnares 
and  leads  astray,  hundreds  of  professing  Christians  into  acts  of 
sin,  to  the  dishonor  of  religion  and  the  hardening  of  the  wicked. 

Is  it  possible  that  a  lover  of  Jesus,  that  prefers  the  welfare  of 
Zion  above  the  salvation  of  his  own  soul,  can  be  a  distiller?  Can 
he,  for  a  little  worldly  gain,  furnish  the  Devil's  kingdom  with 
snares,  traps,  immortal  poison  and  daggers  to  stab  immortal 
souls  to  the  life  ? 


*  This  observation  is  by  no  means  intenddd  as  a  reproach  upon  every  man  that 
presents  spirituous  liquors  to  his  friend  and  neighbor  that  calls  at  his  house,  or  comes 
on  a  friendly  visit.  I  have  known  hundreds  of  respectable  men  and  Christians,  who, 
I  have  reason  to  believe,  never  presented  any  liquor  to  any  man,  at  home  or  abroad, 
but  from  a  true  principle  of  friendship  and  politeness;  and,  therefore,  I  hope  no 
gentleman,  who  is  conscious  of  the  purity  of  his  principles,  will  feel  himself  hurt  by 
the  observation.  But,  as  I  have  hetrd  some  persons  boasting  how  they  ensnared 
professors  under  pretensions  of  friendship  and  politeness,  it  is,  therefore,  such  as  feel  ei 
•onsciousntss  of  guilt  upon  th«  subject,  that  I  wish  to  f«cl  th«  itrolce. 


I>10  THI  DANGEROUS  AND  DESTRUCTBrVE  CONSEQ,tJENCE» 

But  the  professing  distiller  will  reply:  I  keep  a  distillery;  but 
I  do  it  with  a  good  conscience;  I  am  a  temperate  man;  1  never 
get  drunk;  I  suffer  no  drinking  company  about  my  house;  I 
make  whiskey  for  the  market;  I  barrel  it  up,  and  carry  it  to  the 
merchant.  By  my  distillery  I  turn  my  produce  into  money^ 
and  by  that  means  I  can  help  my  family. 

To  this  I  would  answer,  in  the  time  of  the  late  Indian  war,  a 
blacksmith  might  have  kept  all  his  hands  in  his  shop,  making 
rifles,  tomahawks  and  scalping  knives,  and  by  that  means,  have 
supplied  the  savages  with  instruments  of  death,  to  murder  men 
and  innocent  women  and  children.  When  called  to  an  account, 
he  could  make  the  same  reply,  viz.  My  business  is  very  profit- 
able; by  this  means  I  can  raise  money  to  help  my  family;  and, 
although  I  make  instruments  of  death  for  the  savages,  to  enable 
them  to  murder  my  fellow  creatures,  yet  I  murder  nobody  my- 
self, neither  do  I  suffer  human  blood  to  be  shed  about  my  house. 
Would  such  an  excuse  stand  in  the  view  of  the  government? 
Would  not  the  United  States  punish  him  as  a  common  enemy 
to  his  country?  The  application  is  easy — Christ  and  the  Devil 
have  been  at  open  war  for  nearly  six  thousand  years,  and  this 
war  will  continue  to  the  end  of  the  world.  Then  shall  the  sol- 
diers of  King  Jesus,  who  have  received  his  bounty  money  in 
the  day  of  their  conversion,  when  they  enlisted  under  his  royal 
banner,  they  that  are  clothed  in  his  regimentals,  and  rejoice  in 
his  final  victory  over  sin,  Satan,  death  and  hell-— shall  tliey  fur- 
nish the  common  enemy,  with  instruments  of  eternal  death,  to 
strengthen  the  Devil's  interest,  and  weaken  Christ's  cause  and 
kingdom,  without  acting  a  traitor's  part?     It  is  impossible ! 

Again,  my  Christian  friends,  I  once  more  entreat  you,  in  the 
bowels  of  Jesus,  to  renounce  the  intoxicating  cup,  and  forever 
deprive  the  Devil  of  that  source  of  temptation.  To  be  drinking 
with  the  wicked  in  the  taverns  and  still-houses,  or  to  have  the 
smallest  marks  of  intoxication  visible  upon  you,  is  to  degrade  your 
heavenly  birth,  to  sink  religion  into  contempt,  and  to  bring  back 
an  evil  report  of  the  land  of  promise.  By  such  conduct,  you 
proclaim  to  the  world  this  horrid  declaration.  The  beauty  that 
shines  in  the  white  and  ruddy,  fair  and  lovely  face  of  Jesus,  we 
have  seen,  but  he  is  not  that  precious,  altogether  lovely  Saviour 
that  we  have  often  proclaimed  him  to  be.  The  joys  of  pardoned 
sin,  and  a  sense  of  the  love  of  God  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts,  we 
have  felt,  but  the  Devil  and  the  world  can  give  more  lasting, 
solid  pleasure.  Our  heavenly  inheritance  by  faith  we  have 
'seen,  but  it  is  so  barren,  so  poor  and  scanty,  that  we  must  apply 
to  the  Devil  and  the  ungodly  to  mix  us  a  bowl  of  pleasure  in  or- 
der to  make  our  happiness  complete.  O!  consider  how  you  dis- 
honor God,  crucify  the  Lord  of  glory,  and  make  his  wounds  to 
bleed  afresh;  yea,  how  yoa  fill  the  infernal  vaults  of  h»ll  with 


ATTENDING    THE    USE    OP    SPIRITUOUS    LIQ.UORI. 

shouts  of  triumph.  For  the  Lord's  sake,  watch  and  pray,  lest 
you  enter  into  temptation.  Consider  how  strait  and  narrow 
the  way  to  heaven  is.  If  you  are  Christians  indeed;  if  you  have 
left  all  for  Christ;  if  you  have  sold  all  to  gain  the  pearl  of  un- 
speakable price,  you  must  walk  the  narrow  way.  What  says 
the  Divine  Spirit  upon  the  subject?  Why,  let  all  that  name  the 
name  of  Jesus,  depart  from  iniquity;  and  says  our  blessed  Lord 
except  a  man  deny  himself  and  take  up  his  cross  and  follow  me' 
he  cannot  be  my  disciple.  If  your  right  hand  offend  you,  cut  , 
off.  If  your  right  eye  offend  you,  pluck  it  out.  The  law  of  God, 
and  the  gospel  of  Christ  require  you  to  live  so  near  to  God,  and 
to  maintain  so  close  a  walk  with  him,  that  you  should  keep  con- 
sciences void  of  offence  towards  God  and  man — that  whether 
you  eat  or  drink,  or  whatsoever  you  do,  you  should  do  it  to  the 
glory  of  God.  I  would  then  conclude  in  the  words  of  the  in- 
spired apostle,  2  Pet.  iii.  chap.  1 1  ver. — If  these  things  are  so, 
what  manner  of  persons  should  we  be  in  all  holy  conversation 
and  godliness? 


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